Stander confirms Ireland dream
20 Sep 2012
Blue Bulls flank CJ Stander’s move to Munster could see him playing for Ireland at the next World Cup.
Stander has been rated as one of the top young loose forwards in the country.
The 22-year-old was one of seven young players (others included Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, Francois Venter, Arno Botha and Piet van Zyl) who trained with the Springboks during the June Test series against England. He captained the Baby Boks at the 2010 Junior World Championship, and made the SA Schools and SA Schools Academy squads as a schoolboy in 2008 and 2007 respectively.
He’s also featured in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup for the Bulls this season.
However, the player announced a surprise decision to sign a two-year deal with Munster earlier this year. The length of the deal might indicate a possible return in 2014, but Stander confirmed he could extend his stay in Ireland.
‘I know I shocked many people with my decision to join Munster, but I saw it as a great career move,’ Stander told keo.co.za. ‘I thought I’d spend most of my career at the Bulls, but I’m not happy with the game time I’m getting. I have started a few matches, but there are Springboks and older players who are ahead of me in the current pecking order. So I don’t have an established place in the starting team.
‘I told my agent about this, and he told me Munster wanted to offer me a deal. I was immediately interested as Munster are one of the top three clubs in the world. Many players have gone overseas early in their career and have become better rugby players because of their experience in the physical European leagues, like Frans Steyn.
‘Munster only offer their players two-year deals, so I’ve agreed to that,’ Stander continued. ‘I’m not sure what my final decision will be when my contract expires, but I am interested in playing for Ireland if the opportunity comes my way.’
However, Stander did confirm that the Springboks would be his first choice. But he doesn’t feel that he’s part of head coach Heyneke Meyer’s current plans.
‘I’m not part of the squad in the Rugby Championship, so I’m not sure where my future lies with regards to the Boks. Of course it’s my dream to play for South Africa – it’s every schoolboy’s dream. But I want to play Test rugby, and it might have to come via Ireland.’
There are several other South Africans who could feature for foreign nations in the near future.
At the moment, lock Mouritz Botha and centre Brad Barritt are in the England squad. Former Lions loose forward Ernst Joubert has also recently qualified to don the Red Rose.
Cardiff Blues captain Andries Pretorius and Leinster hooker Richardt Strauss are expected to get Test call-ups for Wales and Ireland respectively. Former Lions captain Josh Strauss recently made the move to Glasgow Warriors two weeks ago, with the intention to qualify for Scotland in time for the next World Cup.
By Gareth Duncan
50 Comments
20 Sep 2012, 10:06 am
I would also feel aggrieved if I had that oily bruiser Potgieter in front of me in the pecking order
20 Sep 2012, 10:06 am
It’s pretty damn depressing that playing Test Rugby is no longer about representing your country, but rather just playing at the highest level.
CJ is 22 and would probably find himself in the mix over the next two years but he’s so impatient he’s willing to play for Ireland of all countries?
Disappointing.
20 Sep 2012, 10:07 am
@Lions_Soutie-1: True that.
20 Sep 2012, 10:08 am
once again bad man management in SA.
20 Sep 2012, 10:10 am
Stander better start working on his Paddy accent for the National anthem.
Oi’land Oi’land O’land….to get her
20 Sep 2012, 10:12 am
No CJ, Fransie came back a fatter player.
Nobody comes back a better player, with the arguable exception of Monty and that was only one facet of his game.
But all the best with your Irish dream.
20 Sep 2012, 10:13 am
@XV-4: One cannot stop players moving if they wish. Dewald is the captain of the Bulls during the CC. Lions Soutie is right though, CJ is better than brickhead Jacques.
20 Sep 2012, 10:13 am
talk about entitlement
20 Sep 2012, 10:14 am
@Taahirah-6: Frans came back a better all round person with a better perspective on life and the game. I hope CJ returns after a short stint; getting overseas exposure does help one mature in life.
20 Sep 2012, 10:18 am
SA need to ramp up the matches for their Junior Springboks, SA “A” , SA “B” or what ever it is that it calls itself at the level just behind the actual Springbok’s.
If SA has done all the work schooling a promising player in the art of Rugby, then lock him in via IRB the rule on playing for your country’s second tier team.
20 Sep 2012, 10:19 am
It’s sad that it he didn’t consider other SA unions but than again it is a life-changing opportunity.
20 Sep 2012, 10:19 am
#2 Bagel these days many people have more than one country. As an extreme example there is a young prodigiously talented swimmer in NZ at the moment with Aussie mum, Czech dad, grew up in Canada now qualified for NZ by 3 year residency. She could choose to represent any of these 4 countries and in my opinion has every right to do so.
I have no issue with people playing for any country which they are eligible for. But then they should be loyal to that country and not pull a KP stunt
20 Sep 2012, 10:21 am
@mikeybrass-9: Is the nick a reference to the stand-up comedian?
And Id love to see CJ back as well.
But neither the Bulls nor the Boks owes him anything.
20 Sep 2012, 10:24 am
@mikeybrass-9: If he i making noises about representing Ireland then in my book he can get knotted. Professionalism be damned there is still something special about representing your country and only your country (Rossi if you are there I mean OUR country
)
20 Sep 2012, 10:24 am
Jacque Potgieter is wastly overated, would play Stander all day.
20 Sep 2012, 10:28 am
@Taahirah-13: What nickname?
Coach’s call. I just don’t see how Jacques is rated as better than CJ. Beggers belief. But hey, it’s not my neck on the line.
20 Sep 2012, 10:31 am
Can’t blame him really. If you’re 23 and not a regular starter for a major team then agents may think you’re not good enough to make it at all. The public also seems to think a player is finished when he is 29.
20 Sep 2012, 10:34 am
ah well go play for the paddy’s then young man and all the best to you.
20 Sep 2012, 10:35 am
http://vimeo.com/38907656
francois louw highlights
20 Sep 2012, 10:37 am
@mikeybrass-16: Mikey Brass
20 Sep 2012, 10:41 am
@Taahirah-20: I use my real name here unlike most.
20 Sep 2012, 10:42 am
@Taahirah-20: www dot antiquityofman.com
20 Sep 2012, 10:53 am
Better player than Jacques Potgieter,Dewalt Potgieter,Pierre Spies. In fact hour is the best loosie @ the Bulls
No one goes overseas and returns a better barring Monty and to be fair it was his kicking and that’s it.In fact Percy in 98′ kicking for poles for Boks & going on 17 consecutive win streak was him at his peak not 07′.
Been to Ireland & England…Boring as f*ck so don’t know big fuss is about.France though for lifestyle reasons looks a great opportunity.Otherwise Great Britian aint all that great to live.Or maybe its jus the South African in me,just don’t like England
But hey CJ isn’t going to make Ireland team any time soon,Sean Obrien and co are pretty special.
20 Sep 2012, 10:53 am
I think SARU said they are making the U20 team the second team under the Boks which means after you have played U20 you can’t represent another country… A bit unfair towards guys who don’t ever end up playing for the Boks…
20 Sep 2012, 10:54 am
@mshiniwami-23: Braam being first choice kicker for the Stormers from ’99 onwards hurt Percy’s continued development as a kicker for the Boks.
20 Sep 2012, 11:26 am
I see this article being somewhat misleading.
Stander is keeping all his options open. The backrow stocks at the bulls look pretty good currently but stander wants to be playing every week. that will currently not happen.
Frans has always be a supporter of the opensider and the bulls have stegmann and tecklenburg and even Dewie Potgieter has a 6 hybrid. At 7 they have J.Potgieter, again Dewie Potgieter and now even Arno Botha who appears to be earmarked as a “special” player. Then at 8 you have Spies and once again Dewie Potgieter. Basically, Stander is fighting it out for the 7/8 Jumper where there are at least 3 players ahead of him.
He is a good player that will get even better, as a Bull, I do not see him better than spies or the 2 Potgieters yet.
2 years in ireland is probably a good career move at the minute. I think he will come back to the Bulls.
That Heyneke invited him to the initial training squad I imagine is enough of an incentive for him to want to come back.
20 Sep 2012, 11:29 am
@mikeybrass-25:
Braam van Staaten….how frikken much of a donkey was that oke.
Good to see the boks have uped their expectations in recent years.
These days we flay morne steyn, a player that would wipe the floor with Braam.
20 Sep 2012, 11:34 am
Heyneke has apparently told him he is 2cm too short for a bok.
CJ said if he return it might be to Sharks or WP
20 Sep 2012, 11:39 am
What ever happened to Robbie Diack? I recall he went to Ulster also with the intention to play for Ireland. He also wan’t on top of the peccking order when he left (behind Spies, Kanko etc.)
20 Sep 2012, 11:46 am
Given that he will only be moving to Ireland at the end of the year…
He will not qualify for Ireland by the time the World Cup comes around.
20 Sep 2012, 11:47 am
@Braders-29:
Diack is injured at the moment.
20 Sep 2012, 12:20 pm
Damn Ludeke, Pine, etc.
The Bulls (and Boks for that matter) don’t owe this kid anything, but it would have been awesome to see a combo comprising of;
6. CJ Stander
7. Arno Botha
8. Pierre Spies
Could have been their premier combo, with Dewaldt and Stegmann as bench options.
And Jacques Potgieter being converted to a no.4 lock, alternating with Flip.
20 Sep 2012, 12:41 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-27: Louis Koen, Braam and Halstead together! Eh gods in heavens above.
20 Sep 2012, 12:44 pm
Sheez.
So because he’s not part of the Bok plans now, at age 22, he wants to fark off and play for Ireland!?
Very very weird.
20 Sep 2012, 12:47 pm
@John Galt-34: entitlement, i must be a BOK!
20 Sep 2012, 12:50 pm
@Transformation-35: That’s the sad thing, whatever happpened to earning your place through years of graft? A lot of players have received the short end of the stick and still fought to get thaty green and gold jersey.
20 Sep 2012, 13:01 pm
@John Galt-34: @Transformation-35: Where does he say he should be a Bok?
He only states that he wants more game time at the Bulls.
@mshiniwami-23: Agree, best loosie at the Bulls.
20 Sep 2012, 13:08 pm
@John Galt-34: @Transformation-35: @Skeppie-36: I still believe there is a lot more to this story than than what is being reported here.
Ditto for much of what is currently going on in, and HAS been going on in Pretoria since Meyer started recruiting his ‘Dirty Dozen team members’ last year……The future of Bulls rugby
So he gets them all, gets rid of those ‘surplus’ to requirements and then fucksoff to the Boks.
I believe the BBRU is having a few issues at the moment…
20 Sep 2012, 14:26 pm
absolute disgrace..he is SA not Irish
20 Sep 2012, 14:58 pm
Lacks commitment. Not worthy of the Boks. We move on.
20 Sep 2012, 15:01 pm
Probably for the best.
Regardless of how much potential he has, if he’s prepared to give up his alleged Bok dream at age 22 to go to the other side of the world to play for another country, you have to question how strong that dream is. That’s not the passion or character of a Bok legend in the making.
The guy I want wearing the Green and Gold is the one prepared to put his heart and soul into it.
We can’t judge him for it though. It’s his life and his career and he has to look after number 1, as we all do.
20 Sep 2012, 21:30 pm
@Braders-29: Ireland are strong at No.8.
If he’s good enough Stander will return to play for SA like Juandre Kruger.
20 Sep 2012, 22:02 pm
I assure you he will be back at end of his 2 years if not before. 2 weeks of sunshine a year and he won’t get it; nor the humour. Sykes was spouting the same s h 1 t a year ago. Mark this date.
20 Sep 2012, 22:35 pm
He should have gone to the Southern Kings, would have got his game time and probably captained them within a year
21 Sep 2012, 09:05 am
Not a bad move, lets be honest he must think if Potgieter gets in before me what chance do I have. and his B bull, so not sure why he was not picked. When Burger/Brussow/ Kolisi come back what chance will he have in making the team. Good move and hope it works out for the Kid..
21 Sep 2012, 09:54 am
umfolozi #44 – Agree. He would have had major play time!!
21 Sep 2012, 10:10 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-27: He does not kick as well as Braam or even the Koen !
21 Sep 2012, 14:21 pm
This is simply part of the greater tallent drain SA is facing. There is a world out there at the feet of tallented young (mainly white) South Africans. Why stay here if you can prosper else where.
Good luck boys, hope you become great for your new countries.
21 Sep 2012, 14:41 pm
@greatest13gerber-39:
Remind us where you’re living now.
21 Sep 2012, 16:36 pm
@David-49:
lol but I never put on a All Black jersey and support these kiwi big heads
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