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'Lions Test 8 at the moment': Munster fans ecstatic with Stander's performance in all-time great European win
Johann Van Graan’s men became only the second side to earn a Heineken Champions Cup triumph at Stade Marcel Michelin to continue their unbeaten start to the season.
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Three turnovers from Irish loose forward CJ Stander helped Munster turn the tide and reverse a 19-point deficit as they downed Clermont 39-31. As the game neared the end, Stander was seen enjoying one of his turnovers smiling in the middle of the maul.
He scored a try in the win, which was described by fans as ‘right up there’ with historic wins of the past for the club.
? Man of the Match CJ Stander scored a try, made 9 tackles, won 3 turnovers & carried 10 times in Munster’s stunning 39-31 @ChampionsCup pool victory over Clermont Auvergne in France tonight. Impressive! #LLSport @Limerick_Leader #ASMvMUN #Munster ?
— Colm Kinsella (@ckSportLeader) December 19, 2020
Absolutely incredible stuff from Munster this evening. Josh Wycherley announcing himself at the top stage, CJ Stander playing like a maniac, JJ Hanrahan nailing it when he really needed to. Right up there with the miracle match of 03, Sale in 06 and Northampton in 2011.
— Neil Treacy (@neil_treacy) December 19, 2020
In my sleep tonight I will see CJ Stander smiling while holding up that maul. It will be my favourite dream ever
— Eddie Barron (@EddieBarron) December 19, 2020
My Picture of the night ?
#ASMvMUN #SUAF @CJStander pic.twitter.com/q3RvEKBZC9
— Daithi O’S (@hakaman) December 19, 2020
Lions Test 8 at the moment
— Gman66 (@Gmanbfc66) December 19, 2020
Super performance by CJ and team and sound of CJ to mention the 50 strong Munster squad
— Jason Flannery (@JasonFlannery9) December 19, 2020
Lucky to have him, players like him make Munster great in all codes, choke tackle was immense.
— Aine Cahill (@ABC78) December 19, 2020
How could you not ?? @CJStander!! What a match. What a win @Munsterrugby!! Ending 2020 on a high ?? #SUAF #ASMvMUN #HeinekenChampionsCup https://t.co/gwIsfsW2uE
— Dr Lisa Ryan (@LisRyan_Nutri) December 19, 2020
What a performance by @CJStander today. What a #rugbyrockstar #suaf
— Peter Hatton (@hatton_peter) December 19, 2020
CJ Stander. Holy mother of God. #SUAF
— Niamh ?? (@NiamhoNiamh) December 19, 2020
CJ Stander was award the Man of the Match for his starring role in the victory and was overcome with emotion in his post-match speech.
“That first quarter was very, very difficult, their try was probably the quickest one in the competition this year anyway. They put us under massive pressure, to comeback from that is massive for this team.
“These guys train hard, there’s two guys with new caps, it’s unbelievable. I can’t wait to get back into that changing room and just thank them. The lads put their hands up to come back from that first quarter.
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Stander said the belief did not waiver at halftime and credited the entire squad in their preparation for lifting the side to the win.
“We said to ourselves at halftime, when we get out there, score more points and that’s what we did. That was a full 50-man squad from the whole week’s training to put us through this.”
Coach Van Graan mirrored Stander’s view, and credited the team’s off-season work to get them into a position to come away with a win like this in Europe.
“We definitely thought we could win, we came here to win, we didn’t come here to get a bonus point and the message at half-time was that ‘if we believe in our plan and stick to the process we will win this game’,” he said.
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“I asked the 23 guys to stick to what we do, we spoke a lot in the week and credit to the players because they believed until the final second of this game.
“What we have done over the last six or seven months and all the work we’ve put in over lockdown, all the fitness we have done and small tweaks to our plan gave us belief.
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
6 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
8 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
8 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments