CJ Stander determined to prove his worth at the highest level

Playing Test match rugby doesn’t require knowledge about the past anymore. For the players anyway. All that’s needed is a performance, recovery and on to the next goal.

“Unless you’re a 115kg ball-carrying number eight or a blindside or an openside, you’re not going to make it.”

Former international Dr Dion Ó Cuinneagáin said that. CJ Stander is up to 114kg now. Too small to be a Springbok. As a growing South African under-20s captain in 2010 it was bluntly stated that he wasn’t large enough to be an “Eight Man”. And that he should switch to hooker.

Stander declined. By 2012 he was on the fringes of the senior Springbok squad. When they cut him he packed up and moved to Munster.

Prove it

“Yeah, at that stage I was driven to prove them wrong but now I want to prove it to myself that I can play international rugby, at this level, and get the caps. Play where I want to play, which is flanker or loose forward.”

The numbers are adding up. Make of them what you will. On debut against Wales he carried a freakish 23 times for a hard earned 38 metres. One clean line break, zero offloads, had one lineout stolen, was turned over twice, made 12 tackles (missing none) and conceded one penalty. In Paris he carried 19 balls for a paltry 14 metres. Still no offloads, two more turnovers conceded, 15 tackles (one missed) and, again, coughed up the single penalty.

Twickenham was a tougher afternoon: nine punishing carries for 14 metres, no line breaks, turned over just the once, made 12 tackles, missed one but conceded two penalties before Rhys Ruddock’s arrival.

The man who travelled a similar path, Ó Cuinneagáin, is mentioned to Christiaan Johan Stander. Raised in Cape Town to an Irish father, played for Western Province and the South Africa Sevens in the 1990s then Ulster then captained Ireland at the 1999 World Cup? Even had an Indian Summer with Munster?

That’s all news to Stander.

“In my first week Mick (Kearney, the Irish manager) told me about him and that’s great to know, as I didn’t know that. You could say I followed him . . .

“The thing is I’m always going to be South African, I’m never going to be an Irishman, but I can try my best. I can get an Irish passport in the next 18 months, that would be ideal, but I will try to be the best South African Irish person I can be.

“Playing for Ireland is something I’ve learned about down in Munster and I’ve tried to take in all of the culture and country, tried to learn what Ireland is about, I’ve done a lot from my side and I enjoy it, I enjoy playing for Ireland. It’s something different, but I’ve worked hard the last three years and I wanted to do it and being here now, the last six weeks have been the best time of my life.”

“When I walked in here I wanted to just bring energy to the team. I want to bring energy to the pitch, perform as best I can, all the time, don’t let the boys down.”