Donal Lenihan: CJ Stander owes Munster nothing as he always gave his all

It is so rare these days to see a player of his quality, delivering consistent performances for Munster and Ireland, deciding to call time on his career at the very top of his game

CJ Stander: Put his head down and worked hard after a difficult start to his Munster career, writes Donal Lenihan. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

What we hadn’t anticipated at any stage throughout this Six Nations was that Saturday’s encounter in Dublin could mark CJ Stander’s last on the international stage. It is so rare these days to see a player of his quality, delivering consistent performances for Munster and Ireland every time he plays, deciding to call time on his career at the very top of his game.

One can understand just how a player with such a deep affection for his homeland must hanker for a return to his roots at some stage. One can only assume that the lockdown and the associated pressures that has placed on all young families can only have heightened those feelings for Stander and his family.

It was so evident when Munster played the Southern Kings in CJ’s hometown of George back in April 2018 just how attached he is to that area and how much his exploits overseas have been recognised by the local community.

My views on the three-year residency rule that qualify overseas players for international rugby is well documented at this stage. Suffice to say, I was never in favour of it and very much welcomed its extension to five years. That said, nobody can question Stander’s selfless devotion to the cause of Munster and Ireland since his arrival in this country back in 2012.

Rob Penney, his Munster coach when he arrived, felt Stander’s skill set wasn’t quite up to the level required and it took time for CJ to get meaningful game time. That can’t have been easy for a 22-year-old, with little English, to cope with so far away from home.

To his credit, Stander did as he has continued to do on the field of play, put his head down and worked hard. I recall the stunning impact he made on his Munster debut against Glasgow Warriors in Thomond Park back in 2012.

Scoring two tries in the first of many man-of-the-match performances, it was the pace and power he unveiled when running from his own 22 metre line, leaving a host of Warriors defenders in his wake that suggested, despite the work-ons Penney had identified, Munster had captured a star in the making. That early promise came to the fore under the guiding hand of Anthony Foley.

Picture: INPHO/Billy Stickland

Throughout his time here, Stander has been nothing but a gentleman, who always took the time to step forward and shake your hand. Early in his tenure here, he captained Munster in a defeat to Leinster at Thomond Park.

That game hosted an underage match between two Munster clubs during the half-time break. The following week I met the coach of one of the teams and he recounted how Stander, despite his visible disappointment at the outcome of the game, took time to visit the two underage teams and gave them of his time so freely. As you can appreciate, the kids were thrilled.

Stander has been giving ever since he arrived here. Nobody can ever question his commitment to the cause or his right, with his IRFU contract expiring at the end of June, to head home.

Who knows, despite a desire to hang up his boots, we may get to see him back here in the colours of one of the new South African PRO16 sides should he have a change of heart at some stage down the line. What is very clear is that he leaves these shores owing Munster or Irish rugby nothing.

Best wishes to CJ and his family.