Anthony Foley dead: Munster fans pay emotional tribute to late rugby coach as they sing The Fields of Athenry in Paris

Foley was found dead in the team's hotel in Paris ahead of their Champions Cup match with Racing 92

The opening weekend of the European Champions Cup was overshadowed by the sudden death of Munster Rugby head coach Anthony Foley after he was found dead in the team’s hotel in Paris ahead of their clash with Racing 92.

Foley, 42, captained Munster before joining their coaching set-up after his retirement in 2008 and rising through the ranks to take the head coach role in 2014.

The former back-row represented Ireland 62 times during a 10-year international career, and also made over 200 appearances for Munster that included leading them to the 2006 Heineken Cup final victory over Biarritz.

Leading rugby union players and clubs immediately took to Twitter to post emotional tributes and messages to Foley’s family, with Irish rugby left in a state of shock after one of the nation’s most popular rugby figures passed away on Sunday.

Munster posted the news on Twitter at the same time as a statement from the Irish Rugby Football Union was released, with their tribute reading: “It is with great sadness that we bid farewell to our coach, former captain, colleague and friend today, rest in peace Anthony Foley.”

The president of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, released a statement to express his sadness at the news of Foley’s death, and praised the respect that he had earned during his career.

"It is with great sadness that I heard of the sudden death of Anthony Foley, the Munster rugby team’s head coach and one of the great figures of Irish sport in the modern era,” said Higgins.

“Anthony Foley excelled from a young age and made a huge contribution to the successes of Munster and Ireland, in both his playing and coaching careers.

“He was regarded with great respect and deep affection not just among the Munster rugby fans but by all those interested in Irish sports and those with whom they interacted abroad.

“While news of his death will be received with shock by all those in the rugby and sports world, it is of course first and foremost a great tragedy for his family and close friends.

“As President of Ireland, and as Patron of the IRFU, I offer them and Munster rugby my deepest sympathies."

Munster’s main provincial rivals, Leinster, posted a message in response to the tweet that read: “Thoughts with the Foley family and everyone at @Munsterrugby on this very sad day. Awful news. Rest in peace.”

Thousands of tributes were posted online, with the likes of World Rugby, the IRFU and the European Professional Club Rugby among those who sent messages of condolence. Munster fans who had made the journey to Paris for the match gathered outside the gates of the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir in honour of Foley, where they left messages of condolence in a book that was laid on a table along with a Munster shirt and cap. They also sung the Irish folk ballad The Fields of Athenry, a song commonly heard at both Ireland and Munster matches, as the members of the club joined them.

EPCR will confirm in the coming days when the match will be rescheduled for, with further tributes expected to be paid to Foley.