Foley offers Welsh his Euro plan

By Graham Thomas
BBC Sport Wales

Anthony Foley celebrates lifting the Heineken Cup with Munster

Munster legend Anthony Foley has told the four Welsh regions there are three secrets to becoming the best in Europe.

On the eve of this season's Heineken Cup return, Foley says Munster lead the way because of pride, a sense of bitterness, and a new £35m stadium.

But Foley tells Thursday's Sport Wales programme that building a winning team before building a new Thomond Park in Limerick was the right way to go.

"The team should always come first," says the ex-Ireland number eight.

"We like to think we've gone about things the right way.

"You've got to have a team that represents people and that have qualities people will follow.

"The have to see the work ethic, the honesty, the pride in the jersey, and so on. If you have those things then people will come to the stadium and they'll follow you around Europe.

"We've had those fans following us for the past decade and it means so much to the players. It also means a lot to us that the stadium we have now is one people will be proud of, but still be able to call home.

"I think people will come to the new Thomond Park and cherish what we have."

The four Welsh regions have yet to build a team capable of reaching the final of Europe's top tournament, but all of them are involved with new stadia.

The Ospreys have been in the Liberty Stadium for three years, while the Scarlets are due to move into their new Parc Y Scarlets next month.

The Cardiff Blues will share Cardiff City's new stadium in Leckwith from the start of next season and there are plans in place for the Newport Gwent Dragons to redevelop Rodney Parade.

Foley, who played in a record 81 Heineken Cup ties for defending European champions Munster, tells Sport Wales that pride has always been a motivating factor for Munster, but so has a sense of bitterness.

He says the province and its people have always carried "a chip on their shoulder" and felt they had to fight harder for their rewards.

*Watch Sport Wales on Thursday, 9 October, on BBC Two Wales & 2W, 2200-2230 BST