Rory Best sings the praises of CJ Stander

The recent news of CJ Stander’s retirement took many by surprise as the Ireland stalwart, at just 30 years of age, is still on top of his game. Stander highlighted family reasons for his decision and the tributes and well-wishes from around the rugby world have poured in.

One such voice was that of former Ireland captain Rory Best, who penned a glowing tribute to his old teammate as well as his influence in the Irish camp:

“People ask you how you know when it is time to retire, and the honest answer is you just feel it in your stomach.

If CJ Stander felt a sense of relief when the announcement came out on Tuesday, he will have known it was the right decision.

He will know in his heart that it is the right call, and he is not someone who would do something like this half-hearted.

I was lucky to captain CJ from his first Test start until I retired and what he gave in every game was a priceless loyalty.

You know you can rely on him, no matter what way you go he will be 100% behind you because he believes in the importance of the team over self.

When you say things in a changing room as a captain you want to believe people are buying into it. You can't underestimate the confidence CJ gives other leaders, when they say something he is looking at you nodding and you know he is going to give you everything to put what you're saying into practice.

As a player, CJ is one of those rare breeds who will only want to carry harder the more he gets knocked down.

Emotionally and physically, he is relentless. You can hear it now more than ever without crowds, when Ireland go to the scrum you will always hear CJ's voice.

"Come on front row, come on boys let's go". It is constant, and the more tired he gets the louder he becomes. These are the differences he makes outside of his immense rugby ability, they are massive energisers and they are so hard to find.

People are divided on the residency rule. What I can say unequivocally is that if every overseas player had CJ Stander's attitude to being an Irish rugby player and to representing the Irish jersey, it would only be a good thing.

I'm sure it wasn't the jersey he grew up wanting to represent, but that buy-in and emotion has made CJ a shining example of why the residency rule can be a huge positive.

So how can Ireland replace him?

They need to find somebody who can bring what he has brought.

The reason he was a big part of the successful 2018 team, and the reason he was able to come back from the red card in South Africa which broke his heart, is his durability.

He has come back from criticism, he has never failed to front up and he rarely misses a game because he will just turn up.

Ireland now need another number eight to step into that role just as CJ did when Jamie Heaslip retired.

You can build a back row around one mainstay. It was Jamie, then it was CJ, now Ireland are going to need someone else.

They can't have a number eight that is class one week but doesn't show up the next. That is now the big question, can Ireland find a mainstay to fill the void CJ will leave behind?”