All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen took the opportunity on Thursday to pay tribute to Anthony Foley.
Hansen did so after first congratulating the Chicago Cubs on ending their 108-year World Series drought by beating the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the All Blacks' game with Ireland in Chicago this weekend, the World Cup winner said (via the Irish Independent) that Foley was not someone he knew personally. But through word from a fellow New Zealander at Munster - presumably either Francis Saili or Tyler Bleyendaal - he learned of Foley's abilities as a coach.
And on a more sombre note, we haven't had the opportunity and we have the Irish people here, we'd like to convey a message of sympathy and best wishes to the Foley family on the death of Anthony.
It was a tragedy and one that was felt right throughout the world, our thoughts and prayers are with them.
I didn't know him that well but when you're in the game as long as we've been we certainly knew he was a good player. The All Blacks played against him on a couple of occasions.
His coaching, he's coaching a Kiwi boy there and they're good mates and there's a lot of respect for him.
