Just another day at the office for the big man.
Just a 20th man-of-the-match awards in the past four and a half years. 115 performances of pure class for Munster and Ireland and he always stacks up the numbers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQYQSG6A6KI/?taken-by=sportsjoedotie
CJ Stander had another gargantuan outing for Ireland as he ran in a hat-trick, topped a whole heap of statistical charts and even set up a Craig Gilroy try with a clearing kick he claims he spun into the winger’s path.
You wouldn’t put it past him.
Joe Schmidt does not dole out praise for nothing – he criticised hat-trick scorer Gilroy’s defensive game after the game – so it is worth noting his words about Stander. Following Ireland’s 63-10 win over Italy, he said:
“I thought CJ was really good today, even the try-scoring aside. Defensively I thought he got off the line and got through a real volume of defensive work. He’s a really positive contributor, a really willing contributor.
“The one thing I would say is we have a back-row with big engines. They put themselves about and the amount of involvements they have in games is really high. It definitely helps us negotiate our way around the pitch.”
If Stander’s 11 other outings for Ireland had not guaranteed him a spot on the plane, with the British & Irish Lions squad, to New Zealand this summer, his bravura performance against Italy did. Lions coach Warren Gatland would have pencilled Stander into his touring squad after the November Series. After Saturday, he will get the permanent marker out.
Social media was abuzz after Stander’s 80-minute tour-de-force:
Not only is CJ Stander a cert for the Lions if fit, you wouldn’t back against him flying the plane to New Zealand himself if he wanted
— Three Red Kings (@threeredkings) February 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/slawsonblundell/status/830432280250314753
Stander is the nailed on Lions 6. #rugby
— Ian Price (@goatteeboy) February 11, 2017
And there were so, so many others.
Back in December, we listed eight Ireland players that were nailed-on for the Lions. Stander was not guaranteed to go, we argued, because there was so much competition for back row places. You tore into us on Twitter and Facebook.
You can add Stander to the list.
Nailed. On.
