As Peter O'Mahony and Johnny Sexton made their way to the Stade de France to face South Africa in last month's Rugby World Cup clash, their conversation turned to Anthony Foley.
It's nearly seven years since the man fondly known as Axel died while Munster were in Paris for a Heineken Cup game.
"Sometimes it’s weird to be in Paris and think about Axel and what happened," said O'Mahony.
"It’s an incredibly sad memory for the Munster team who were in Paris that week.
"Axel is always someone who’s in my head on a very regular basis, and when you come to Paris, what certainly comes to mind are the fondest memories we had together and the amount of inspiration that he gave not just to me but lots of young kids in Munster and Ireland."
24 September 2013; Munster's Paul O'Connell, right, forwards coach Anthony Foley, centre, and Peter O'Mahony look on during squad training ahead of their Celtic League 2013/14 Round 4 game against Newport Gwent Dragons on Saturday. Munster Rugby Squad Training and Media Briefing, University of Limerick, Limerick. Picture credit: Diarmuid Greene / SPORTSFILE
O'Mahony is set to win his 100th Ireland cap this weekend when Ireland take on Scotland in Paris.
"When I look at the people who have got to 100, it’s almost a little bit embarrassing with the names ahead of me to be honest, people I grew up following and supporting, hugely inspirational characters," O'Mahony said.
"To be the 10th, it’s going to take some time to settle in. It’s certainly nothing I ever expected or dreamed of. We all talk about having dreams, but that was way off the radar to be honest.
"I would love to be inside there now having a cup of tea with the lads. This (being in front of the media) would be last place I’d say I want to be. But I’ve had some texts already and I’m hugely grateful for everyone’s best wishes and that. But I want to win for the lads at the weekend, that’s the main thing."
As his career has rolled on, the 34-year-old O'Mahony has realised that "less is more at times".
23 September 2023; Peter O’Mahony of Ireland wins a lineout from Franco Mostert of South Africa during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Ireland at Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
"I have spoken to a few guys who have finished or are at the end stage of their careers," he said.
"You can’t do as much as the young guys do these days - some of the extras they do afterwards and pre-training, I just can’t physically do them.
"So I need to use sessions as diligently as I can to get as much fitness, ball-play, whatever. I need to get that in the session really as I’m pushing on a bit. It’s changed in a few of those dynamics, stuff in the gym where a few years ago I would have been flying.
"But you just need to manage the body a bit more. The main thing for me is Saturday – it’s getting yourself ready and prepared for a test match.
"There are certainly adjustments that need to be made, and I’ve had some good S&C [strength and conditioning] guys and coaches who have looked after me down the years.
"It’s about me being physically able to play at the weekend and in the best possible nick, then I’m normally in a good place.
"A lot of times the tendency in bigger weeks is to do more, because you think it’s a bigger week and we’ve got to get to get through more. But what we’ve learned over time is that less is more at times, to keep the juice in the legs. That’s an analogy I’ve used a bit more as I’ve got older.
"I’m just trying to prepare as if it’s another test match. Hopefully I can get all this stuff out of the way as early as possible.
"Maybe when I’m sitting on my own with a coffee I might have a quick think about it, but I’m hoping there’s going to be bigger moments in my career than this one - and hopefully in the near future."
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