CJ Stander set to join Munster 100 club

South African native CJ Stander will win his 100th Munster cap this weekend, five years on from his debut against Scarlets at Musgrave Park, Cork in November 2012.

Stander has embraced the move to Munster since then and has won the admiration of the Thomond Park crowd.

On & off the field, sharing the highs & lows.. We know there is #NoClubWithoutU A special support that is always appreciated. #munsterrugby pic.twitter.com/W8zXKo7mHi

— C J Stander (@CJStander) May 16, 2017

The back row signed initially from Super Rugby’s Blue Bulls on a two-year deal, and has since signed a further two contracts to date, his latest seeing him remain at the province until at least June 2018.

Stander’s breakthrough game came against Glasgow Warriors on his first Thomond Park outing as the back row claimed a brace. However, he made just seven appearances in his first season. In his second season in the red of Munster the South African made 15 starts scoring five tries, and earned a start in the Champions Cup semi-final against Toulan.

A fantastic start in 2014/15 saw him score three tries in the opening two games against Edinburgh and Benetton Treviso, ending the season with seven man-of-the-match awards, inclusion in the 2014/15 PRO12 Dream Team and becoming the first overseas signing to win Munster Player of the Year.

Stander assumed the role of captain with the injury-enforced absence of Peter O’Mahony, and, having qualified for Ireland through residency rules, he announced himself onto the international stage with a man-of-the-match performance against Wales at the Aviva Stadium in the 2016 6 Nations.

In 2016 Stander won the Guinness Rugby Writers Ireland Player of the Year and became the first player to receive double honours at the IRUPA Awards – Players’ Player of the Year and Supporters’ Player of the Year – and the first to claim Munster Rugby Player of the Year for a second successive year with a total of seven tries in 21 appearances, four man-of-the match awards and a second inclusion in the PRO12 Dream Team.

Last season the 27-year-old secured a European Player of the Year nomination and showcased his talents on the world stage with the British and Irish Lions.

This weekend he becomes the eleventh player of the current squad to have made 100 Munster appearances alongside Stephen Archer, Keith Earls, Billy Holland, Ian Keatley, Dave Kilcoyne, Conor Murray, Tommy O’Donnell, John Ryan, Duncan Williams and Simon Zebo.