Stander Honoured At Rugby Writers Awards

Munster’s CJ Stander has tonight been named the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year at an event taking place at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.

With Man-of-the-Match accolades a plenty over the past couple of seasons, 2016 has already seen Stander become the first player to win the Munster Rugby Player of the Year award for the second year in succession and bag double honours at this year’s IRUPA Awards – Players’ Player of the Year and Supporters’ Player of the Year.

Now, with yet another accolade to add to the trophy cabinet, the Munster and Ireland back row said, “It’s an honour to be voted as the Guinness Rugby Writers Player of the Year.

“I think when you're a younger boy you go through a stage where you want to get a lot of pats on the back but when you get older and you get into a team you just want to perform for all the boys and for the team to help them win.”

Most recently helping Ireland to wins over the All Blacks and Australia, he added, “It's been a great year, an unbelievable last three years and I've worked hard to get to the place where I am now.

“The biggest thing for me now is to drive on from there and not settle or be part of the furniture. You always have to push on and create something new.

“So that's a big drive for me not to think I've done enough. I just want to keep on performing for the team, that's important for me, and lead a few teams.”

The South African native who originally moved to Ireland as a project player even added, “I'd like to think I'm from Annacotty in Limerick!”

Also on the night Phil Orr and former Munster out half Tony Ward were inducted into the Hall of Fame, Sene Naoupu was named Women’s Player of the Year, PRO12 champions Connacht were named Team of the Year and Clontarf picked up the Club of the Year accolade.