CJ Stander bags third major award in nine days

CJ Stander bagged his third major award in nine days but yesterday’s Munster Rugby Player of the Year honour was, he said, the one that meant the most to him.

Back rower Stander became the first person to claim the player of the year award for the second year in a row when he picked up his trophy at the annual Munster Rugby Awards in Cork yesterday.

Stander saw off competition from lock Billy Holland and centre Rory Scannell, whose breakthrough season was further recognised when, in another first, he scooped both the Young Player of the Year and the John McCarthy Award for Greencore Munster Rugby Academy Player of the Year during a lunch at the Clayton Silver Springs Hotel.