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CJ Stander on why he won't hesitate coming to blows again with his head coach's son
By PA
Ireland flanker CJ Stander is convinced he has the backing of Andy Farrell should he once again come to blows with the head coach’s son. Stander delivered a series of strikes to the midriff of England captain Owen Farrell as he struggled to break free of his opponent during February’s Guinness Six Nations loss at Twickenham.
The former British and Irish Lions teammates are set to resume hostilities on Saturday when the Irish travel to London for an Autumn Nations Cup clash.
While a less experienced player may have feared the wrath of his boss, Stander would have no qualms about becoming embroiled in another physical altercation with Farrell junior.
“On the pitch, it’s just like it’s another guy and you just want to get into them and do your thing. And afterwards, there’s actually a few laughs,” he said.
“If I was a bit younger and a bit insecure, (I would think) I’m going to be in trouble here, but we’ve got a job to do. He (Farrell senior) is our head coach, he backs us and we back him. We go up against England and it’s us against them, so he backs us.”
England player Farrell appeared to spark the bizarre incident by refusing to release his grip on Stander’s right leg at a ruck. Stander, who is poised to win his 44th cap this weekend, also had his Ireland shirt ripped off during an off-the-ball tussle with Maro Itoje that day and is anticipating another bruising encounter.
“Those things happen in a game and especially against England, they try to get into the game that way,” said the South Africa-born 30-year-old.
“It’s down to each individual, there hasn’t really been a message (from the head coach), it’s just what you bring to the game and how you deal with that situation. If there’s a scuffle and I’m in there then I'm backed by the team and so is everyone else.”
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Latest Comments
Agree with Wilson B- at best. And that is down to skilled individual players who know how to play the game - not a cohesive squad who know their roles and game plan. For those who claim that takes time to develop, the process is to keep the game plan simple at first and add layers as the squad gels and settles in to the new systems. Lack of progress against the rush D, lack of penetration and innovation in the mid-field, basic skill errors and loose forwards coming second in most big games all still evident in game 14 of the season. Hard to see significant measureable progress.
Go to commentsKeep telling yourself that. The time for a fresh broom is at the beginning - not some "balanced, incremental" (i.e. status quo) transition. All teams establish the way forward at the beginning. This coaching group lacked ideas and courage and the players showed it on the pitch. Backs are only average. Forwards are unbalanced and show good set piece but no domination in traditional AB open play. Unfortunately, Foster - Mark 2. You may be happy with those performances and have some belief in some "cunning plan" but I don't see any evidence of it. Rassie is miles ahead and increasing the gap.
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