Saturday 1 April 2017 14:24, UK
Ahead of Munster's Champions Cup quarter-final against Toulouse, Jerry Flannery gives a fascinating insight into their extraordinary season.
It has been a traumatic year for Munster who lost their inspirational coach Anthony Foley last October ahead of their Champions Cup Pool match against Racing 92.
The game was postponed as the province mourned one of their favourite sons but his spirit has been evident as they have shown plenty of character to reach the knock-out stages.
Forwards coach Jerry Flannery, who played with Foley, including in Munster's 2006 European Cup final triumph, has been impressed with the attitude of the players following the death of the man they called Axel.
"If you ask me if I am surprised by the way the players have responded to Axel then the answer is 100 per cent," Flannery told Sky Sports.
"You never envisage something like this happening but if you ask me what it the most important thing I look for in a player, then I would say attitude. If a player has got attitude then we can work on everything else.
"You cannot string consistent results together just on emotion so there has to be a plan behind it."
"If you look at the Glasgow game it shows that there is an insane level of mental strength there - you have to attribute that to Axel."
Both Munster and Toulouse have a proud European heritage and go head-to-head at Thomond Park with a place in the Champions Cup's last four on the line.
"Undoubtedly we could win it but we are far from being favourites," added Flannery.
"Being underdogs can help you and maybe that is the journey this team has to go through. But there comes a stage where being successful means that you have to deal with being favourites.
"I am not sure how relevant both teams are terms of European rugby over the last three to four years but there is tradition there and hopefully whoever wins will kick on and get back up there."
Flannery paid tribute to Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus, whose emotional intelligence has helped the club deal with the death of Foley.
"He is pure class - it is easy to say that he has a fantastic rugby brain but he is emotionally intelligent as well.
"He creates an environment where hard work and honesty is rewarded. How he has handled Axel's passing has made it easier for everyone else."
Click on the video above to watch the extended interview with Jerry Flannery
