CJ Stander silences the doubters

[munster#1]

Well, following on from a very disappointing championship, with very few positives, one massive positive has to be CJ.

Many a poster on here, including a lot of the more senior posters have labled CJ as being little more than pro 12 standard, stating that he goes missing in the big games.
A few posters even stated that he will never be capped by Joe.

CJ surely surpassed all these posters expectations with his displays in his first 5 caps. Scoring 2 tries, as well as being one of the top carriers and tacklers for Ireland.

When discussing Jennings in the past, many said that it takes a fair few caps to get up to speed, which surely means that CJ will only get better.

Ireland now have a brilliant headache coming up when SOB, Henderson and pom return.
Some real talent will be left playing provincial rugby during international weeks.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Well, following on from a very disappointing championship, with very few positives, one massive positive has to be CJ.

Many a poster on here, including a lot of the more senior posters have labled CJ as being little more than pro 12 standard, stating that he goes missing in the big games.
A few posters even stated that he will never be capped by Joe.

CJ surely surpassed all these posters expectations with his displays in his first 5 caps. Scoring 2 tries, as well as being one of the top carriers and tacklers for Ireland.

When discussing Jennings in the past, many said that it takes a fair few caps to get up to speed, which surely means that CJ will only get better.

Ireland now have a brilliant headache coming up when SOB, Henderson and pom return.
Some real talent will be left playing provincial rugby during international weeks.

He has shown himself to be a fine number 6 at international level. I, for one, am delighted that at last we have a number 6 who does the job of a six, this allows the numbers 7 and 8 do the job they're there for. It's no surprise that the backrow looks so much more balanced with each member doing his job correctly.

Long may this last, when POM, comes back, he needs to start looking at 7, as there is where his skillset says he should play.

[wixfjord]

It's great isn't it?

And it's great also that Heaslip was top carrier and tackler for the championship!

Some posters, including a lot of senior ones, have spent years trying to find anything to knock him, and depsite Stander's excellent showing throughout the tournament, he's once again proven his class.

Great stuff all round eh m1?

[Dave Cahill]

I don't recall anyone knocking any of Standers performances on the flank?

[munster#1]

It's great isn't it?

And it's great also that Heaslip was top carrier and tackler for the championship!

Some posters, including a lot of senior ones, have spent years trying to find anything to knock him, and depsite Stander's excellent showing throughout the tournament, he's once again proven his class.

Great stuff all round eh m1?

I would have to agree with you. I have not been a fan of Heaslip for the best part of 4 or 5 years, but this 6 nations, he has shown what everyone expected from him after he burst on the scene in the late 00's.
If he can sustain this level of performance he will be a hard man to shift from the Irish team.

It will be very interesting to see who loses out if we have all options fit.

[wixfjord]

It's great isn't it?

And it's great also that Heaslip was top carrier and tackler for the championship!

Some posters, including a lot of senior ones, have spent years trying to find anything to knock him, and depsite Stander's excellent showing throughout the tournament, he's once again proven his class.

Great stuff all round eh m1?

I would have to agree with you. I have not been a fan of Heaslip for the best part of 4 or 5 years, but this 6 nations, he has shown what everyone expected from him after he burst on the scene in the late 00's.
If he can sustain this level of performance he will be a hard man to shift from the Irish team.

It will be very interesting to see who loses out if we have all options fit.

I think the first part of this sentence might explain why you may have missed him sustaining that level of performance for the last 4-5 years.

[munster#1]

It's great isn't it?

And it's great also that Heaslip was top carrier and tackler for the championship!

Some posters, including a lot of senior ones, have spent years trying to find anything to knock him, and depsite Stander's excellent showing throughout the tournament, he's once again proven his class.

Great stuff all round eh m1?

I would have to agree with you. I have not been a fan of Heaslip for the best part of 4 or 5 years, but this 6 nations, he has shown what everyone expected from him after he burst on the scene in the late 00's.
If he can sustain this level of performance he will be a hard man to shift from the Irish team.

It will be very interesting to see who loses out if we have all options fit.

I think the first part of this sentence might explain why you may have missed him sustaining that level of performance for the last 4-5 years.

Ok, I should have said I have not been a fan of the way he has been playing.

[neiliog93]

I don't think many people doubted him. He was certainly in my pre-6 Nations starting team. He was very impressive again today and stopped the silly penalties that had marred otherwise very impressive performances in previous games.

[simonokeeffe]

He came in and played very well, which was what nearly everyone here wants from Irish players

Serious selection headaches for the summer when SOB, POM, and Henderson available again

[Ruckedtobits]

He came in and played very well, which was what nearly everyone here wants from Irish players

Serious selection headaches for the summer when SOB, POM, and Henderson available again

+1.

This site generally gives short shift to provincially biased moans against players selected for Ireland. That territory for Munster Fans or The42.ie

Jamie and Stander were excellent yesterday and Tommy O'D was very good with a few too many penalties, but balanced back-row.

[simonokeeffe]

He came in and played very well, which was what nearly everyone here wants from Irish players

Serious selection headaches for the summer when SOB, POM, and Henderson available again

+1.

This site generally gives short shift to provincially biased moans against players selected for Ireland. That territory for Munster Fans or The42.ie

Jamie and Stander were excellent yesterday and Tommy O'D was very good with a few too many penalties, but balanced back-row.

TOD was really good too

as ever we're falling over backrowers

[ribs]

That's some serious revisionism M1 in your original post. You must be confusing this site with some others you frequent. I think the responses have put it right.

[munster#1]

He came in and played very well, which was what nearly everyone here wants from Irish players

Serious selection headaches for the summer when SOB, POM, and Henderson available again

+1.

This site generally gives short shift to provincially biased moans against players selected for Ireland. That territory for Munster Fans or The42.ie

Jamie and Stander were excellent yesterday and Tommy O'D was very good with a few too many penalties, but balanced back-row.

Not sure you are right there. Just do a quick search of the Munster threads over the last couple of years and you will see.

Agree in the balanced back row.

[Logorrhea]

Not sure about TO'D. Thought he was fairly meh to be honest. Wasn't poor but nothing special, similar to Josh.

CJ has been good. Looking forward to seeing him do it against South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. I'm not suggesting he wont be able to do it, but that'll be the real test for me, assuming he gets in the team once the injured players come back to fitness.

[maps]

He's done pretty well alright.
If he could tackle and defend he'd actually be a decent player

[Flash Gordon]

I don't recall anyone knocking any of Standers performances on the flank?

Nope, me neither! Think he's been excellent and delighted that he has too!

[simonokeeffe]

Conor Murray is making a lot of teams of the tournament too

Also, Jack McGrath deserves serious praise, up until a year or two ago we'd have freaked out if Healy was unavailable but McGrath was one of our best players

[Golf Man]

It's great isn't it?

And it's great also that Heaslip was top carrier and tackler for the championship!

Some posters, including a lot of senior ones, have spent years trying to find anything to knock him, and depsite Stander's excellent showing throughout the tournament, he's once again proven his class.

Great stuff all round eh m1?

Just catching up - Heaslip had his best 6 Nations in some time - competition helps in this regard - but he was some way off being the top carrier - He had 62 carries - Stander had 87 - Vunipola had 93 and I assume is the highest

His tackle stats are great - 61 made v 1 missed (Stander was 54/3 and Vuniploa was 46/6 for comparison)

Some comments here about Heaslip being better because he has a 6 acting as a 6 etc - that's rubbish - Stander is almost exclusively an 8 - the fact of Stander being there probably helped more - he now has live competition for his place - I'd love to see Stander getting a start at 8 in one of the SA tests - I think this would benefit him obviously but you would also get the best out of Heaslip if you did this

Henry is actually the big loser in all of this I think

TOD is TOD - he will not let us down and a great squad player but he is never going to be top end
VdeF did pretty well although I don't really see the reason for his acceleration into the team at this point in time (for example Dillane makes sense because we have a definite weakness at lock, which we don't have in the backrow, McCloskey makes sense (and I 'd have loved to have seen more) because he has been so good for Ulster and offers something very different)

POM/SOB/Heaslip/Stander would be the ideal backrow at this point in time - backed up by Ruddock, TOD, VdeF,- I'd like to see a bit more movement

[Oldschool]

It's great isn't it?

And it's great also that Heaslip was top carrier and tackler for the championship!

Some posters, including a lot of senior ones, have spent years trying to find anything to knock him, and depsite Stander's excellent showing throughout the tournament, he's once again proven his class.

Great stuff all round eh m1?

Just catching up - Heaslip had his best 6 Nations in some time - competition helps in this regard - but he was some way off being the top carrier - He had 62 carries - Stander had 87 - Vunipola had 93 and I assume is the highest

His tackle stats are great - 61 made v 1 missed (Stander was 54/3 and Vuniploa was 46/6 for comparison)

Some comments here about Heaslip being better because he has a 6 acting as a 6 etc - that's rubbish - Stander is almost exclusively an 8 - the fact of Stander being there probably helped more - he now has live competition for his place - I'd love to see Stander getting a start at 8 in one of the SA tests - I think this would benefit him obviously but you would also get the best out of Heaslip if you did this

Henry is actually the big loser in all of this I think

TOD is TOD - he will not let us down and a great squad player but he is never going to be top end
VdeF did pretty well although I don't really see the reason for his acceleration into the team at this point in time (for example Dillane makes sense because we have a definite weakness at lock, which we don't have in the backrow, McCloskey makes sense (and I 'd have loved to have seen more) because he has been so good for Ulster and offers something very different)

POM/SOB/Heaslip/Stander would be the ideal backrow at this point in time - backed up by Ruddock, TOD, VdeF,- I'd like to see a bit more movement

Too late GM, Heaslip won the argument about 8 years ago and is still winning it.
Mind you, JVDF making the breakthrough so quickly must have been a real knock to the agenda.

[FLIP]

Let's face it, the only person likely to be out in the cold now is POM. Angry face just doesn't cut it any more - actions do.