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'Anthony Foley would have wanted it': Peter Stringer plays for Sale hours after Axel's funeral

Huge respect to the scrum-half.

PETER STRINGER SHOWED incredible courage to play for Sale Sharks in their Champions Cup clash against Toulon tonight, just hours after he attended the funeral of his good friend Anthony Foley.

The 38-year-old scrum-half was among the thousands of mourners at Foley’s funeral mass in Killaloe earlier as the Munster head coach was laid to rest.

Speaking before tonight’s game in Manchester, Sale coach Steve Diamond revealed that Stringer insisted on playing.

“The tragedy of last weekend everybody knows about. The funeral was today. Strings made it clear that he wouldn’t miss the funeral but he also didn’t want to miss the game,” he told BT Sport.

“Ged Mason, the new owner, put on a private plane and we whipped him in and out. He said Anthony Foley would have wanted him to play tonight. He’s got his own motivations from his friendship there.”

Stringer played the full 80 minutes as Toulon ran out 15-5 winners.

A minute’s silence was impeccably observed in Foley’s memory before the Pool 3 clash at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Tournament organisers have requested that a minute’s silence or minute’s applause be observed at all games in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup this weekend.

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