Stander backs Ireland to rebuild and go again despite changing of the guard

Stander believes Farrell’s squad can only grow stronger for their experience over the last two months and will not be encumbered by World Cup history at the 2027 edition in Australia.

REBUILD JOB: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell before the Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-final match at Stade de France. Pic: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire.

CJ Stander has backed Ireland to rebuild under Andy Farrell and finally reach at least a World Cup semi-final, despite a changing of the guard for the next four-year cycle.

Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final hoodoo struck once more in France last month as New Zealand ended hopes of a breakthrough to a first last-four appearance in tournament history with a 28-24 victory in Paris three weeks ago. 

The narrow defeat ended what was believed to be Ireland’s best chance of finally winning a knockout match at the tournament with head coach Farrell presiding over the best-prepared team in this nation’s history – Six Nations Grand Slam winners, ranked number one in the world and taking a 17-Test winning streak into that last-four showdown with the All Blacks.

Yet Stander, who made 51 Ireland appearances between 2016 and 2021 before his decision to retire at the age of 32 at the end of his ninth season with Munster that same year, believes Farrell’s squad can only grow stronger for their experience over the last two months and will not be encumbered by World Cup history at the 2027 edition in Australia.

"One thing is that time carries on and players come and go. That's always the case,” Stander said during a BKT URC round table with the media yesterday.

"I remember when I came into the Ireland squad, everyone was talking about the previous set of players that almost won in New Zealand, but we did it for the first time in Chicago.

"Over time the only thing that can happen is that Ireland will make a semi-final and a final in the future. They do have the players for it.

"When there's a new cycle and some players go, there's a feeling that there are no more roadblocks, no more memories of not getting there. Not all those memories will be gone, but most will over the next four-year cycle when you're sitting with youngsters who are hungry for winning stuff.

"It was the same for Munster last year, they had a lot of players who weren't part of the last 10 years of struggle, they had come through, the likes of Gavin Coombes and Jack Crowley.

"Through the quarters and the semis, they just kept winning and they won the final.

"Time will tell but the experience will come through for the younger players and Ireland will get to a semi-final and a final. It's on the books. The whole set-up in Ireland works. It's unbelievable.

"When the players and coaches work together, it's there. We're talking about one percenters in games, a bounce of the ball in the quarter-final and you're into the semi, and you give yourself an opportunity to go to the final.

"It is tough but they will get there.” 

The former Munster and Ireland No.8 also believes World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber can take Leinster to another level when he joins Leo Cullen’s backroom team after South Africa’s celebrations.

Nienaber will step down as Springboks head coach after the team’s nationwide tour with the Webb Ellis Cup, having been instrumental alongside Rassie Erasmus in engineering back-to-back World Cup triumphs for South Africa since jumping ship from Munster in 2018.

Stander worked with the coaching duo for a season and a half from 2017, when Nienaber was defence coach and he said of the incoming Leinster senior coach: “I’m actually jealous of the Leinster squad.

“I loved him at Munster. He is unbelievable technically and defensively he is the best around. Imagine getting him and Simon Easterby and Andy Farrell in the same room! That would be special.

“Mentally and physically he can help Leinster take another step up on the ladder. Will it be enough? We will see. Leinster is always a well-oiled machine and he will definitely take them to the next level.

“I remember playing Leinster and we were sitting in a team room. It was just very calm. One thing that always stuck with me was that he said if you play better than your opponent you will win.

“And it’s so obvious. I mean I’m 29 and had won 50 caps for Ireland and I’m thinking I should know this. But as I said, technically he’s spot on. He always told you if you played well when you lost. And if you didn’t play well, you’d get it.”