MUNSTER back row forward Tommy O’Donnell is relishing the chance to work under Anthony Foley, who takes over as head coach of the team from the beginning of next season.
O’Donnell hailed the “incredibly smart rugby mind” of ‘Axel’ and said that he expects Foley to be versatile when it comes to match strategy.
The 26-year-old said: “It’s going to be interesting heading in with Axel and the all-Irish coaching ticket. There’s a lot of familiar faces, a lot of guys who know how to win cups and know how to win in Europe. It will be very interesting and we’re looking forward to it.
“I think Axel has an incredibly smart rugby mind. I don’t think I’ve come across anyone who has the knowledge that he has. I think we’ll be well equipped for all situations.
“You can’t use the same style all the time. You’re going to have to take on some teams out wide and other teams you’re going to have to go up the guts to them. He’ll have a perfect game strategy for every match.”
O’Donnell, who missed out on a place in the Ireland squad for the summer tour of Argentina, paid tribute to departing Munster team-mate James Coughlan, adding that he felt the province passed up a real chance of silverware.
“It’s a big shock to hear that James has moved on but he’s made a decision for his family and for his own career. I wish him the best of luck. It takes a lot of courage to move away.
“Ever since he came in, he’s worked hard and made himself a staple of the Munster side. He can say he’s one of the greatest Munster players at this stage. He’s worked so hard to get to where he has been.
“We were really well placed at Christmas but we lost a couple of key games in the Rabo and that didn’t help us. I don’t think any team has won away in the play-offs since they came in. It’s incredibly hard to win away. We came close to it but it’s another season that we let slip without getting any silverware.”
O’Donnell also recently became an ambassador for juvenile arthritis charity iCAN after being made aware of the severe pain inflicted upon those with the illness.
He said: “Up until a couple of years ago there were people being diagnosed in closets. I think the waiting list to see a specialist is still two years. If they can be diagnosed early they can go on to lead normal lives, but if it takes two years to not get the treatment, the joints can become deformed and that affects them later in life.”
