Record-breaking CJ Stander now focused on France

CJ Stander collected another man of the match award and made a piece of Six Nations history as Ireland put Italy to the sword in Rome.

The flanker became the first forward to score a hat-trick of tries in the Championship as he contributed a third of Ireland’s nine tries in the 63-10 bonus-point win at Stadio Olimpico that has put his side back in the running for the 2017 title after an opening-day loss in Scotland.

The 26-year-old’s tries had comprised a small percentage of his 22 carries during the game but he had not been aware his scoring would go into the record books.