WHILE SOME MIGHT quibble with CJ Stander winning the man-of-the-match award in both of Ireland’s games in this Six Nations so far, surely no one can argue that the Munster man hasn’t been in excellent form.
Indeed, Stander looks to be somewhere near his best.
He has been busy with 23 carries in his two outings so far, gaining an average of 1.57 metres per carry and beating four defenders along the way. The 29-year-old has also passed the ball seven times so far during this Six Nations, though he rejects the notion that there is any change here.
“I think someone just didn’t see when I was passing before,” says the Ireland back row. “I always try to pass, the thing is just to get the ball to where the ball can work so we don’t have to work harder.”
Defensively, Stander has made 25 tackles for a success rate of 90%, while also winning five jackal turnovers – more than any other player in the Six Nations, with Italy’s Jake Polledri next best on three.
“I’ve just been lucky that I’ve got into good positions at good times and getting the turnovers is one part of what we’re doing,” says Stander in rather humble fashion.
“But if you look before that, [the work of team-mates] makes my job easier to do.”
While Stander has conceded three penalties and was yellow-carded late on against Wales last time out, one of those breakdown decisions was harsh on Stander and he would have been frustrated at Romain Poite sending him to the sin bin for the next one.
Regardless, Stander is clearly enjoying his rugby and playing with real motivation and energy. It is worth remembering that he was one of Ireland’s best players at the World Cup last year, so was already performing to a high level, but there has been extra impetus from him in the opening two games of this championship.
Stander lost his number eight spot to 21-year-old debutant Caelan Doris for Ireland’s opening game against Scotland, only to shift back from the blindside flank within four minutes of kick-off as the Leinster man suffered an unfortunate concussion.
But even those four minutes of having to move position – and the fact that Peter O’Mahony was dropped to the bench – made a difference, admits Stander as he reflects on it.
“Not really, you know… well, I say not really but if someone gets selected into the pool of your back row, then you go, ‘OK, there’s someone new now’ and it probably subconsciously kick-started something.
“Like, I know I needed to play my best, we all know we needed to do that. I really wanted to do my best for the team and so if that means me moving and letting someone else in or me not playing, then I need to step up again.
“We all know we need to be at our best and probably subconsciously it did kick-start something.”
Having retained his place at number eight for this weekend’s visit to Twickenham to face England, even with Doris now back from injury, Stander will be playing opposite a new face in the English number eight jersey.
With Billy Vunipola missing through injury, 21-year-old flanker Tom Curry has been moved into a role he previously had no experience of. Though he is only two games into life as a number eight, Curry is already being written off in some quarters.
Stander isn’t ready to join the chorus yet.
“I think he is an exceptional player,” said Stander. “People say he is out of depth, he is not really, he still has the same work ethic and still does what he does on the pitch.
“I have watched a little bit of his work at the base and it is still good so I think people are just comparing him with Billy who is a guy that brings momentum from anywhere on the pitch.
“But I think he [Curry] is one of the best players on the pitch and to think we can exploit that is not going to work because he is doing a great job back there.
“Some people think it is a difficult switch but that switch is quite easy, you just have to look after the ball at the back of the scrum.”
