Stander not missing ‘the hits’ since retiring
FORMER Ireland and Munster star CJ Stander insists that he has ‘no regrets’ about last year’s shock decision to retire from professional rugby at the age of 31. Stander admitted that he had a number of offers from South African clubs to continue his career after returning to his native Paarl, where he now works in construction, but he couldn’t be tempted back. ‘There were a few teams, a few guys calling me from a few of the clubs around where we live in Paarl, who asked the question,’ said Stander, who was capped 51 times for Ireland. ‘I just feel I’ve done my part and when I hung up my boots, that was it for me. I’m really proud of that decision and have never regretted the decision to retire. I do miss the game, and still play a bit of touch with some people close to home but that’s it. ‘I don’t like the contact any more. I was sitting at home, having a few pints and watching Munster against Toulouse and I just think “Oof!”. I’m thinking that I couldn’t imagine having the feeling of just being broken to bits on Sunday and Monday,’ the former back row explained. Stander has resettled back into South African life with
his wife and young daughter but concedes that they miss Ireland and particularly, Limerick. ‘It’s great to be back home and seeing my family, but we do miss Ireland a lot. Limerick was a great place to live, they really looked after me and my family. So, we miss Limerick a lot. ‘The weather is better here but adapting is still a process I need to learn. I am working almost normal hours from 7 until 6 in construction. Suddenly, we have time to see friends on weekends when we used not to have that.’ Stander was speaking at a URC press conference ahead of the Munster-Leinster derby in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday night. The Reds need to beat Leo Cullen’s side, whose focus will be on the Champions Cup final, to ensure a home quarter-final at Thomond Park. Stander keeps in touch with many in the Munster camp and felt that they did enough to beat Toulouse in the European quarter-final before losing agonisingly on penalty kicks, but believes this weekend will tell a lot about the current side. ‘It is going to be tricky if they have to travel for the quarterfinal, that will be tough,’ he said. ‘But what I saw against Toulouse, that was exceptional, probably the best game I’ve ever seen Munster play and if I sit back and think about meetings we had about where Munster needed to go, that was exactly the blueprint.’ Stander even suggested that if Munster can overturn Leinster on Saturday, the momentum can help them end their long wait for silverware. ‘I know if they win this weekend, there’s a trophy on the cards, What they showed against Toulouse proved that they can do it.’