Try-scorer, tackler extraordinaire and breakdown pest – CJ Stander had a game for the ages against the All Blacks.
The Munster Number 8 shifted to the blindside of an Irish back-row that worked like dogs to repel and disrupt the World Champions at every turn.
With Jordi Murphy going off early with a potentially serious knee ligament injury, both Stander and Jamie Heaslip knew they would have to see out the 80 minutes and they battled to the very end – Heaslip even making the sweet reverse pass for Robbie Henshaw’s insurance try.
Somewhere, Axel is very much enjoying this game https://t.co/btLPC0MM2n
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 5, 2016
For the Munster contingent in particular there was an added inspiration at work in Chicago. During the Haka, the facing Ireland team formed a figure of ‘8’ in memory of recently deceased Munster coach and former Number 8 Anthony Foley.
It has been an emotional couple of weeks for the Munster players, losing their coach three weeks ago and a week later beating Glasgow in front of a grieving, packed Thomond Park.
Stander, who grew close to Foley after emigrating from South Africa in 2012, revealed after the game that the memory of Foley and all he did for him gave him energy when he was flagging around the hour mark.
“Yeah, dunno if you saw it, we made an eight, a figure of eight. We made a decision about that during the week. For me personally and Murray and all the Munster boys standing there it was big.
“Same as the Glasgow match we wanted to give something back to him and the family. He meant a lot to me and was really the rock in my rugby in the last four years. Showed me what he learned over the years.
“He pushed me to the next level,” said Stander.
“I just think of what man he was, the legend he was. What he gave to me as a rugby player. In that 60th minute when I got tired, I was just thinking, ‘why am I playing this match? Who got me there?’ Everything he gave to me. That was massive for me.”
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