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'If you're tough enough to take on a man's wife and can't do it in front of him then...'
CJ Stander has hit out at the anonymous keyboard warriors who launched personal attacks on his family via social media following Ireland’s World Cup trouncing at the hand of New Zealand.
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The South African, along with others in Joe Schmidt’s squad, were heavily criticised after the tournament in Japan turned sour for a team that went to the finals as the world’s No1 ranked side only to be beaten by the hosts in the pool stages and then suffer elimination at the quarter-finals.
Some of the fallout was caustic, with even Stander’s wife Jean-Marie, the former South African international standard swimmer, branding it as disrespectful.
Now, fresh from a man of the match award in the opening game of the new Andy Farrell era, Stander has himself broached the subject ahead of Ireland’s round two Six Nations showdown versus Wales in Dublin.
“Life changes,” shrugged Stander during a midweek session with Irish media ahead of the Aviva Stadium game against Wayne Pivac’s side.
(Continue reading below…)
Andy Farrell and Johnny Sexton following Ireland’s 19-12 win over Scotland
“Social media got out there and everyone has an opinion. We probably need to deal with it sometimes differently and not let it affect you but sometimes it touches close to home and then it gets tough. I always try to keep those things away, you know, but it is tough. It is tough. It doesn’t matter what you do.
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“Suddenly people start attacking your family on social media. For me, that is tough because I believe that if you are tough enough to take on a man’s wife and you can’t do it in front of him then… mmm, there is a line there that you step over.
The IRFU have a number of players in their contract cross-hairs, and a number of players that might no longer be@heagneyl looks at the current central contracts landscape #IREvWAL #SixNations 🇮🇪https://t.co/7GZwD8kUS5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 5, 2020
“That might be my South African side coming through, but that raises a hair on my neck. I do a job that is out there and people need to judge me. That is what we do on a Saturday. We are out there to play, to perform at this level.
“People are going to judge you and you are going to have to handle that and that is fair. I can take it. But as soon as you start taking on a man’s family…
Scotland's starting 8 made 133m off 59 runs at the Aviva compared to just 44m off 64 runs in the previous encounter, a ball-carrying threat that caused the overall Irish tackle rate to soar.
– @heagneyl on Farrell's first game in charge #SixNations 🏴🇮🇪https://t.co/cDtIpCsWbL
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 2, 2020
“My wife was trying to hide it but when I got back (from Japan) I saw that it impacted (her) a little bit. But she is a strong woman. She handled it well. She can stand up for herself. She didn’t study law for nothing. She is a tough one. That is why I like her.”
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WATCH: The Rugby Pod sets the scene ahead of the second round of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations
Comments on RugbyPass
This is might be the most generalised, entitled, patronising, out-of-pocket cultural indictment on a group of people you’ll ever see on what is supposedly a sports publication. I can only assume the author is weak like a woman or homosexual. I’m feeling an incredible range of emotions but I am not quite sure how to express them. I might go beat up a hockey player - assuming that’s okay with Duane and the boys? 🙂
9 Go to commentsBest thing the Welsh clubs could do is apply to join Gallagher prem surely be more exciting matches for there support than they have now.
2 Go to commentsRugbyPass writers are useless! you guys should get a real job because you all suck at writing about rugby!!!
9 Go to commentslooking forward to RWC2027 …. Boks on mission impossible for the Three-in-a-row, ABs to prove they being on par, France wishing to crown the “DuPont-era”, Ireland knocking on the Semi-Door ….. until then we’ll probably have to deal with Weird Ben’s fantasy-RWC23 (fun fact is, the drivel always creates a flooding of comments) …..
221 Go to commentsBen Smith you really make some good points in this article, the Springboks were not close to perfect and good still beat the All Blacks, imagine if they were as good as they were against France what a hiding the All Blacks would have gotten… maybe another Twickenham drubbing
221 Go to commentsIt is a good argument to keep the Rebels for one more year but also isnt this just opening the door as well for keeping them beyond 2025. If they can create some sort of financial stability in the next year and if their performances lift as they have this season then how would RA even cull them after that? It might be the most cost effective decision at this stage and perhaps many people are guilty of keeping relationships going because of the cost to decouple but then again when does that ever work out well?
24 Go to commentsDear Ben Smith you are a genius! God please become the next all blacks coach that can take on the mighty BOKS. Your rugby acumen is second to none - imagine your dads sperm bounced as unfortunately as that oval ball did….we would not be blessed with your presence. Just as the all blacks were missing a man you too are missing a chromosome for 80% of your life, so your insights are not only profound but ring true from your own experiences. Just as the TMO interfered with citing an illegal pass I am sure your local authorities interfere with your illegal passes you make on women - How dare they!!! God forbid that rugby be officiated fairly. You are the right man for the job. Next all blacks coach is here ladies and gentlemen Miss Ben Smith (He/She/They/IT)
221 Go to commentsHuge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
221 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
9 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
64 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
24 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
64 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
6 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
9 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
221 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
9 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
9 Go to comments