“What is with CJ Stander’s carrying technique?”

Patrick McCarry

“What is with CJ Stander’s carrying technique?”

So sparked an interesting discussion on the latest episode of The Hard Yards. Looking back on Ireland’s last-ditch victory over France, in Paris, Stander and Peter O’Mahony came in for a lot of praise on their efforts during a dramatic end-game.

Neither man had prospered during the previous 78 minutes but they stood up like true champions in the final five minutes and 20 seconds that drove Ireland to victory. O’Mahony had 17 involvements in the final 41, consecutive Ireland phases while Stander had 15 and won a few crucial metres in the final play before Johnny Sexton’s clinching drop goal.

However Stander appears to have left a considerable number of Irish rugby fans unconvinced of his Test standards. If you put aside his impressive Six Nations stats, his form on the Lions Tour, his performances against some of the top southern hemisphere sides and the high regard several opponents and teammates have for Stander, they have a point.

Some saw the Ireland No.8 running into the mountainous Kevin Gourdon and Yacouba Camara, last weekend, and felt Stander does not have the size or power to rock the big lads back. Others question his carrying technique. It was a topic hotly debated on the show [from 50:00 below] with the query getting a firm response.

“Why does Stander go into tackles so upright?” a listener asked. “Surely that is not productive?”

Former Leinster and Ireland flanker Kevin McLaughlin responded:

“In terms of his technique, he’s quite a short guy. He has that low centre of gravity and he can afford to run high.

“If I had run that high like that in my career I would have got emptied every time I carried the ball. If I had run upright, I wouldn’t have had a hope. Whereas Stander can keep his head up, his chest up and stay square because he has that low centre of gravity. And he gets over the gainline because of that and because he is so, so powerful.”

Former Munster and Ireland centre James Downey says Stander’s style is similar to many South African forwards – folding his arms over the ball and trying to sit defenders down. “If he puts his head down,” Downey added, “I don’t think he’ll be effective.

“He does run upright – I get it – but it works.”

It sure does.

Here’s what else was discussed on The Hard Yards:

EPISODE 49 – RUNNING ORDER

1.00 – The Johnny Sexton appreciation show
4.35 – Conor Murray gives his thoughts on the game
6.00 – Joe Schmidt’s plan to clear
7.00 – The dangers of cleaning out rucks
7.35 – Latches
15.00- Nigel Owens’ performance
19.50 – James Ryan
23.20 – Jalibert
25.00 – The team that start against Italy
32.00 – Richard Moffet STATSports
45.00 – Listener questions