GLASGOW Warriors coach Gregor Townsend has revealed he was so shocked by the death of Anthony Foley he thought at first it was a sick joke.

Foley, who was coach of Munster, died in Paris on Sunday. He was 42. Munster’s Champions Cup match with French club Racing 92 was postponed that afternoon, but yesterday it was confirmed that their game against the Warriors, also a European pool game, will go ahead as planned in Ireland on Saturday.

“I was away with my family,” Townsend said yesterday. “It started to appear on Twitter and I thought someone had hacked an account. It seemed like a sick joke. It just didn't make sense.

“You can tell from the response across the world, this just doesn't seem right. There's a guy who is young, the life and soul of a party, always upbeat and chatty. It just seems not right. It is a huge shock for the people of Munster and Ireland.

“It has gone beyond rugby. This is an event that all sport is shocked by. Maybe you don't appreciate people's lives until they've gone, but what he did for Munster to become one of the best teams in Europe, to have a huge stadium and a legacy . . .

He was one of the most important figures in Irish rugby over the last couple of decades.”

Townsend, 43, first played against Foley in a schoolboy international and went on to compete against the forward’s Munster team several times while with French club Castres. He added that the fact they were very close in age brought home the loss even more.

“It just makes it more of a shock. We got on really well as players and especially as coaches. We have had wins and defeats and we've had to go through similar experiences with injuries.

“He was really good at sharing things with you - players he liked and things like that. I always looked forward to catching up with him at various events. I was looking forward to this week. I think it's a reminder for us all that we should appreciate what we've got and live our lives to the fullest.”

Rassie Erasmus, Munster’s director of rugby, explained why he and his colleagues thought it was best for Saturday’s match to go ahead. “The opportunity to play this week, with all the respect which we have, obviously - it was the most important thing to play the game for him,” the South African said.

Foley’s funeral, to be held tomorrow, is a private, family service. The match at Thomond Park in Limerick, however, is expected to be a very public celebration of the former Irish international’s life.

“Obviously, there will be poignancy, but there will be a lot of noise,” Townsend added. “There will be a feeling of togetherness. Munster have dominated European rugby and have had some great wins. You'll see lots of red jerseys in the crowd and you'll see the team come together. We are expecting a difficult game.”

It would have been a difficult game in any event. But Townsend knows that the circumstances will make it all the harder for his team as they try to follow up last week’s outstanding Pool One performance against Leicester with another win.