CJ STANDER HAS delivered a farewell message to Munster’s fans after playing his final game at Thomond Park.
The departing No8 is returning home to South Africa after a nine-year stint with the club and he left with a parting gift as Munster won a crazy game to save their season and keep their hopes of reaching the Rainbow Cup final.
That didn’t look like happening when Cardiff took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter before Munster established a foothold in the game with three first-half tries. In the end they needed a 75th minute try from Kenyan Knox to secure the win.
“They came out firing,” Stander said afterwards. “They put us under pressure for 30 minutes but that last eight minutes of the first-half we scored three tries.
“We work hard, the backs got some open space and we enjoy it when they get over the tryline. We knew it was going to be tough, they came out firing both halves and fair play to them.
“I just want to say thank you to our fans, from all of us who are leaving – not just me. From the squad for all the support, I can’t way to come back here and sit with you to support the boys.”
Despite the empty terraces tonight, Munster still managed to pull off a come-from-behind win. As a result, they could stay top of their Rainbow Cup Conference if Connacht beat Treviso tomorrow and deny them a bonus point.
Afterwards winger, Andrew Conway, said: “Conditions were good, Cardiff are a great team who always give us a bit of hassle whether it’s over there or here.
“They started well, but we rallied and had a good block at the end of the first-half. There was a bit of back and forth in the second. It was pleasing to win it, we’re still in it.
“The group here is really tight. You probably hear it a lot in professional sport, but this is the tightest group I’ve been part of in Munster.
“We’ve got guys who put in huge shifts over a decade for Munster, we’re desperate to win silverware.
“We’re still in the mix, but we need to be better to get that cup at the end.”
