CJ Stander: a great honour to win player of the year

CJ Stander's accumulation of awards is quite something. Ever since his two-try full Munster debut against Glasgow on December 1st, 2012, in Thomond Park he has been accumulating man of the match awards like stamps on coffee cards.

Maintaining the trend in his debut Six Nations campaign, and following on from his Munster Player of the Year award last season, Stander was last night honoured as the IRUPA/Players' Player of the Year and The Irish Times Supporters' Player of the Year.

Whether it’s ex-players turned co-commentators, his peers or supporters, it seems everyone has taken to Ireland’s adopted South African, no doubt in part because of the way he has adopted Munster and Ireland, as well as the palpable passion he brings to his no-holds-barred game on the pitch and the respectful and modest way in which he carries himself off it.

Additional load

Stander has also embraced the additional load of being Munster’s stand in captain this trying season due to Peter O’Mahony’s absence, with Saturday’s game marking his 21st appearance of the season (all but two from the start) for Munster.

“There’s a lot more stuff on your plate but in fairness to everyone else they’ve made it easier for me, especially going into the last few games.

“They’ve made it a lot easier by taking responsibilities away from me. So it was difficult at the beginning but I got used to it. Get thrown in on the deep side so swim.”

An abiding source of inspiration will be Paul O’Connell, who is always only a phone call or a text away.

“From him, I think I learned to make the team the number-one priority and then just look after your game personally. It’s not anything he taught me by words, it’s the way he conducted himself because you need to lead by all examples. You need t be the guy that sticks your head in somewhere or get onto the ball or be aggressive but then also turn around and tell the ref there’s something going on.

“Just the way he fronts us personally, that’s something I’ve looked up to and tried to learn from him since October 2012, when I arrived. Not really just captaincy, just life in general.”

Reflecting on what was also a difficult first season for him as a player in Irish rugby in 2012/’13, when he started only four games and appeared seven times for the senior team, it’s been quite a journey for the Cape Town-born and reared backrower.

‘Comfort zone’

“In that first season I had to get used to a different type of rugby and different coaches, compared to all the stuff I had been used to. I was out of my comfort zone at some stages, and I had to work on my game to get into the team and keeping that jersey.

“It’s been a rollercoaster for the last three and a half seasons, and I’m delighted the way it’s worked out.”

To be honoured by his peers is a huge source of pride to Stander. “It’s a great honour to be chosen by the players because it means they must like me,” he said, laughing. “You always wonder, especially coming from a foreign country and you walk into a different team, are they going to accept you? Or are you going to be on the outside?

“At Munster and then with Ireland, they pulled me in from the start and I’m just delighted to be in that group and working with the boys.

“The supporters helped me a lot, especially in that first year. I’ve always been on the lucky side in being treated positively by supporters and hopefully I can keep it that way.”

What Stander has achieved on a personal level has also made his family very proud. “I remember when I first left, and knowing I’d be far from home and my family and my environment, and my dad said to me: ‘Just do your basics, be the person you’ve been with us and just enjoy yourself’.

“And I think it’s important. I’ve enjoyed embracing Irish culture and they’re very proud of me captaining Munster this season and playing for Ireland.”

So unsure was he of his participation in the Six Nations that he didn’t advise his family to make any travel plans, and hence making the cut for the tour to South Africa and playing in one or more of the tests would be all the more meaningful.

“They got me to where I am now, they invested time and money in me. And also playing against such a great side as the Springboks.

“It would be a massive challenge, and also an honour to play in front of my family. I think my dad has plans to drive to all three games if I make it.”

Stander desperately wants his team to sign off their season with a home win against the Scarlets on Saturday and so secure a top-six spot and European Champions Cup qualification off their own steam.

‘Home games’

“That’s what we let slip this year – you have to win your home games for sure,” he says, “I think Thomond Park has been a fortress and it’s not this year. That’s the thing we need to get back to, making this a fortress and making this our place, make it tough for teams to win here.

“We don’t want to let it be down to other teams doing you a favour by winning, losing, a bonus point. We want to do it ourselves, because we want to win going forward.”