CJ Stander out to impress for Munster against Leinster as Ireland’s call beckons

The most interested spectator at Thomond Park tomorrow is certain to be Joe Schmidt. 

The Ireland head coach will be keeping a watchful eye over the form of many players but the most intriguing match-up he’ll watch from the stands will be between Leinster’s Jamie Heaslip and Munster’s CJ Stander, the latter an IRFU “Project Player” but now fully qualified to line out for his adopted country having fulfilled the three-year residency requirement. As things stand, Stander must be favourite to wear the Ireland No 8 shirt in next year’s Six Nations.

In an interview in November 2014, Stander made it very clear that playing for Ireland is something he wants, but not something he wished to broadcast too loudly. “I have a passion for the Irish team,” he said, “and playing for Ireland is something I want and am going for.”