Since becoming Munster's first ever Director of Rugby last summer, Rassie Erasmus has had a major impact at the province. This weekend, Munster head into their first European Cup quarter-final since 2014.
In an interview with Sky Sports ahead of the game, scrum coach Jerry Flannery gave some insight into how things have worked at Munster under the South African.
Flannery said that initially he was apprehensive about how the dynamic would work between Erasmus and tragically deceased head coach Anthony Foley. However, those fears were allayed when both Flannery and Foley met Erasmus.
He's top class. It's easy to say that he has a fantastic rugby brain. What he did, it was such a tough situation coming in with Axel. I went into the job unsure of how things were going to be. Axel's been my mate and has been a consistent part of my life since I was 12-years-old.
Munster brought Rassie in with a long-term view and I wasn't sure what was going to happen. When I met Rassie before I was deciding to stay with Munster again, I went, 'This guy, he's emotionally intelligent. He's a good guy.' When I spoke to Axel, he said, 'Yeah, I like him.' That was the main thing. You can learn about rugby but if the guy you're working with is a dick, then you're not going to get on with him.
According to Flannery, Erasmus had created an environment at Munster where individuals feel they are rewarded for their hard work.
What he's done is, he's come in and empowered all of us as coaches. He empowered Axel. He helped develop me as a coach. He brought Felix Jones onboard. He's brought Jacques Nienaber [defence coach] - who's one of the best coaches I've ever come across in my life - into Munster.
He creates an environment where hard work and honesty are rewarded. It genuinely is rewarded. When you look at the way teams have been selected, it's not always the big names that get selected. It's the guys who rock up, who train the hardest, who put Munster and the team before themselves. He's been a huge asset to Munster this season.
Erasmus' strong emotional intelligence has been a major factor in helping players and staff at Munster cope with the passing of Anthony Foley.
How he's managed Axel's passing as well has made it so much easier for everyone else. I don't know how anyone ever gets upskilled in something like that. No one gives you a book and tells you, 'This is what happens.' He really made it a lot easier for us to deal with it. You never say, 'We're OK on that now,' but you manage it better every single week.
Rassie is just a really emotionally intelligent man. That's what was so needed this season at times.
Flannery also spoke about his relationship with Foley, citing him as the main reason he returned to the province in 2014. After a tough 2015/16 season, Flannery was glad of some time he got to spend with Foley during the summer; time where he could actually relax and enjoy the company of a friend.
It's difficult because professional rugby is relentless. It's week on week on week. You don't win a game and then sit there for three weeks and go, 'Jeez, Axel, let's chat about that game. How are things at home?' It's just preparing, preparing, preparing. You don't actually get a chance to enjoy someone's company as much.
We had such a tough year last year. It was tough for all of us. In the summer, the 2006 team that won the European Cup had a reunion - we went to Spain. We just went out there and some of the lads played golf - or said they were playing golf - we just had beers and chatted. It was so good to unwind and be like that. The pressure was off and to actually enjoy Axel's company.
Flannery believes every time Munster play and train is now a tribute to their former head coach, something he feels is not a cliche because it's genuine.
He also thinks Munster can always take strength from their memories of Foley.
If you look at something like the Glasgow game, those players, that must have been one of the toughest weeks of their lives. For them to go out and have everyone watch them and study them in that game. Everyone in rugby wanted to know how they would respond. Then to see how they did was incredible.
It shows there's an insane level in mental strength there. You've got to attribute that to Axel. That's what that was on the day. We will always benefit from referencing Axel and reminding ourselves of what he wanted from that team.
