IRELAND ARE NEARING their Six Nations-best form as they eye a first series win over the Wallabies on Aussie soil since 1979, so says back row CJ Stander.
The Munster number eight has started both of Ireland’s summer Tests to date, and was impressed by how his team-mates responded in recording a first victory over Australia Down Under since 39 years ago to the day last Saturday.
Where he agreed with Joe Schmidt’s assessment that, even in victory, Ireland’s execution had been far less than perfect in Melbourne, Stander believes the Grand Slam champions have plenty left in the tank as they seek a slice of history on the back of a long but legendary season for Irish rugby at both club and international level.
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“We’re close to where we were performing during the Six Nations, but we’re not there yet,” Stander told the assembled media in Sydney earlier today.
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“I think there was a few chances – as Joe mentioned earlier – that we leave on the pitch: lost balls, set pieces that we don’t get the ball we wanted, you know? So, I think there’s a fair bit left in us to go out there and play the way we want to play – and as we did in the Six Nations earlier this year.
I think the week before, we were almost waiting for them [Australia] to do what they wanted to do in attack with the depth they had.
“This week [during the second Test], we just wanted to come out, make sure we played our game and make sure we got off the line in defence, and look after the ball – [that] was a big thing for us.
“And in fairness, the lads who scored the tries this week made sure they got the ball down!” Stander joked, alluding to his own near-score which saw him held up over the line after some Aussie scramble defence in Brisbane two weekends ago.
As for the marked improvement in his area of the field, the 28-year-old was quick to deflect praise for Ireland’s handling of demonic duo David Pocock and Michael Hooper in the second Test, and not only to his fellow forwards.
One man in green, however, unsurprisingly stood out in Stander’s eyes, and not merely in his nuclear dismantling of potential pilferers on the deck.
“I think there was a few questions here and there after the first game,” he said. “We knew they were threats from two weeks ago. In fairness, some of the turnovers they got were unreal.
“We just made sure we got to the breakdown and then take that threat away from them.
I see there was a few videos going around of the boys – Tadhg Furlong cleaning out like a machine – and there’s a few boys in the backline who just stepped up and made sure we got quick ball back.
Tadhg Furlong gained the most yardage out of anyone in the Ireland squad on Saturday Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
He [Furlong] is putting the standards up there for the rest of the team. Luckily, I’m not a winger, so I don’t have to chase him!
“But everyone is putting their hand up every week in the squad and they’re playing as well as they can every week,” Stander said. Of Furlong, the 25-cap international added: “He came in, did an unbelievable job, and he played man-of-the-match rugby from the start.
“That’s what we needed from all of the players. I think everyone stepped up, and I think everyone played an unbelievable game.”
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Ireland nearing Grand Slam form ahead of series decider but 'not there yet', says Stander
IRELAND ARE NEARING their Six Nations-best form as they eye a first series win over the Wallabies on Aussie soil since 1979, so says back row CJ Stander.
The Munster number eight has started both of Ireland’s summer Tests to date, and was impressed by how his team-mates responded in recording a first victory over Australia Down Under since 39 years ago to the day last Saturday.
Where he agreed with Joe Schmidt’s assessment that, even in victory, Ireland’s execution had been far less than perfect in Melbourne, Stander believes the Grand Slam champions have plenty left in the tank as they seek a slice of history on the back of a long but legendary season for Irish rugby at both club and international level.
“We’re close to where we were performing during the Six Nations, but we’re not there yet,” Stander told the assembled media in Sydney earlier today.
“I think there was a few chances – as Joe mentioned earlier – that we leave on the pitch: lost balls, set pieces that we don’t get the ball we wanted, you know? So, I think there’s a fair bit left in us to go out there and play the way we want to play – and as we did in the Six Nations earlier this year.
“This week [during the second Test], we just wanted to come out, make sure we played our game and make sure we got off the line in defence, and look after the ball – [that] was a big thing for us.
“And in fairness, the lads who scored the tries this week made sure they got the ball down!” Stander joked, alluding to his own near-score which saw him held up over the line after some Aussie scramble defence in Brisbane two weekends ago.
As for the marked improvement in his area of the field, the 28-year-old was quick to deflect praise for Ireland’s handling of demonic duo David Pocock and Michael Hooper in the second Test, and not only to his fellow forwards.
One man in green, however, unsurprisingly stood out in Stander’s eyes, and not merely in his nuclear dismantling of potential pilferers on the deck.
“I think there was a few questions here and there after the first game,” he said. “We knew they were threats from two weeks ago. In fairness, some of the turnovers they got were unreal.
“We just made sure we got to the breakdown and then take that threat away from them.
“But everyone is putting their hand up every week in the squad and they’re playing as well as they can every week,” Stander said. Of Furlong, the 25-cap international added: “He came in, did an unbelievable job, and he played man-of-the-match rugby from the start.
“That’s what we needed from all of the players. I think everyone stepped up, and I think everyone played an unbelievable game.”
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Ireland defend themselves after Wallabies question ‘blocking’ tactics
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one for the road