MUNSTER BACK ROW CJ Stander is Ireland’s sole nominee for this year’s Six Nations Player of the Championship award after his consistently excellent performances through the most unusual of campaigns.
Stander is the only representative outside of the 2020 Championship’s top two sides.
Champions England have Maro Itoje and Ben Youngs shortlisted.
Runners-up France dominate the six-man list with three nominees as the dazzling half-back combination of Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack are joined by back row Gregory Aldritt.
Les Bleus have never had a player given the Player of the Championship award since its inception in 2004 – when Gordon D’Arcy claimed the prize.
The Wexford man was the first of five Irish winners with Paul O’Connell and Jacob Stockdale earning the honour after Brian O’Driscoll took it on three occasions. Wales’ Alun Wyn Jones holds the accolade for this performances in 2019.
This year’s winner will be decided by online vote (which you can participate in here) with the winner to be announced on Friday.
CJ getting all the praise today and in fairness he deserves it. He’s been irelands best and most consistent player for the last 2 years.
@Jim Demps: And so many still make the case for him to be dropped. I do think other players offer different things but as far as what he does he is by far the best at it we have.
@Jim Demps: ryan won player and young player of last year?
@Padraig Corcoran: Throw in his way of playing as a forward is the most effective way of winning – England , South Africa & now France
@Padraig Corcoran: nobody says he should be dropped. A good while back Conan was on fire, making huge runs in every game. I still dont think people wanted CJ dropped though, rather that POM be dropped and one of them move to 6. Which is exactly what has happened with Dorris taking Conans place in that argument. CJ is also a better player now than hes ever been. His poaching is top class. Better than anyone in the Irish squad, aside from maybe Beirne.
@Padraig Corcoran: people wanted him to be moved to 6 not dropped. No question he’s our best player for the past 2 years.
Well deserved, he had a great tournament. I’d say Itoje or one of the French halfbacks will win it. Tough one to call but great to have a Irish representative on the shortlist
@Umpaloompa: he played well last Saturday
Hope he wins the award – his 3rd nomination in only 5 campaigns (2016 & 2017 where he came runner up to Hogg twice but was officially forward of the tournament). He could’ve won player of the tournament in any year since his debut in 2016 bar 2019.
Well deserved with most breakdown turnovers across the competition with 9 officially (arguably 12 if not for a few dodgy ref calls against Scotland & Wales).
Most carries with 75 beating 12 defenders (9th overall).
Two man of the match awards & overall player in round 2.
Made all his tackles constantly hitting double digits and showed great line speed.
Also an option in the lineout and maul on numerous occasions
A couple of big performances in autumn and he should get a world player of the year nomination as well
Best player in Ireland at the moment.
Glad for CJ. Well deserved.
Surely at most he only needs a MOTM performance in the autumn cup to earn himself a world player of the year nomination.
Crazy how the springboks got rid of this dude due to his height despite ring in line to make his debut at 22 back in 2012 – it’d be like Sean O’Brien (6’1) or Scott Penny (5’11) going over to Italy cos of their height.
I think Stander could’ve been up with Etzebeth in terms of caps & important to the bok’s had he been given his shot
(both the same age and both included in the squad at the same time).
There’s a scary alternative reality where Stander with the guts of 80 odd caps already is lifting the Webb Ellis with a back row of himself PTSD & Vermeulen while Ireland send the lightweight back row of POM , VDF & Conan to get slaughtered in Japan.
Well deserved to be on the shortlist but for me it’s between Dupont and Itoje.
Itoje. I want to hate the player but I also wish the Irish team had a player with his characteristics.
@Padraig Corcoran: It’s our problem at the moment we have no enforcer with a mean streak. Donnchadh Ryan, POM at his best and Leavy sorely missed
@Michael McGrath: Ryan is perhaps getting there. He sometimes shows abrasive aggression, but it doesn’ seem to be part of his natural make-up. Young Baird at Leinster seems more naturally aggressive though is very much only at the start of his career. The two together will make a fearsome second row in time. Leavy on his way back, thank goodness. Porter has dog in him, for sure, but it seems that Ireland under Schmidt and Farrell tries to coach that out of players. As a general (and therefore partly inaccurate) statement, Ireland doesn’t seem to do abrasive aggression any more. Erasmus arguably correct that Ireland is ‘soft’ in some ways.