All Blacks pay tribute to Anthony Foley in Limerick

Limerick last night again proved a haunting destination for New Zealand rugby.

The proud Maori All Blacks humbled by a marauding Munster side cheered by a packed and racous Thomond Park.

Somewhere up in the rain-sodden ether over Thomond Park last night, Anthony Foley settled into his new vantage point.

A voice from the past wafted in from the blind side. “Hi, Axel. Great turnout you had.”

It was Jonah. Just arrived to watch his Maori All Black blood brothers join battle with Munster.

As they embrace, Axel recalls: “Talk about turnouts, they’re still talking about you causinig traffic jams in the city centre when you turned on the Christmas lights the last at time you were here in 2008.”

Both agreed, it was some November weekend in Limerick - the All Blacks just shaving enough on the scoreboard, against Munster in a game to mark the official opening of the new Thomond Park.

Maori All Blacks captain Ash Dixon placing a jersey in honour of the late Munster head coach Anthony Foley on the pitch ahead of the match. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

As they settled down, Jonah places his hands around Axel’s shoulder.

“Just to let you know, Axel, lots of us back home were upset that our All Blacks did not show respect to your last weekend in Chicago. The players did the Kapa O Pango haka, which is a war cry and not the Ka Mate version which is done to honour fallen heroes like your good self. But I assure you my fellow Maoris won’t make the same mistake tonight. You see we have one great dignified Maori All Black haka, Te Timatanga. It’s last lines go ‘Climb up, thrive to the pathway of knowledge to achieve excellence, spiritually, mentally, physically.”

Generous as ever, Axel responds: “Jonah, not a bother. Lets see how it goes tonight. It’s unbelievable here in Limerick on a night like tonight.”

Jonah delves into Maori rugby which dates back to 1888. “We were the first to wear the black jersey. We have great pillars to our rugby heritager. Excellence, humility, respect and most of all, Whakapapa.”

Sean Quilter, aged 9, from Castletroy, Limerick, celebrates his side’s first try during the match. Picture: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile

Axel looks puzzled.

“Whakapapa?”

Jonah explains: “Yeah.That means genealogy. You must have Maori blood to put on the Maori All Black jersey. Family. Generations upon generations. That’s the real foundation.”

As he gazes down on the terraces, Jonah smiles: “Look, my niece, Ali Palu is there. I hear she loves Limerick and has started college in the city.

A heavenly silence takes hold as two great men savour the moment.

Down in the stadium, 25,600 stir the night as only a Munster crowd can.