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25th February 2018
04:36pm GMT

Another aspect of Stander's contribution to the teams he plays in has to be his role as on-field motivator. All through the game, Stander was heard chirping away over referee Glen Jackson's team. He rarely stopped, from minute 1 to 81.
At scrum-time, Stander was geeing his pack up each and every time.
"Let's go boys!!" "Let's f**king snap tight!" "That's it Jack. That's it Jackie boy!!"Ireland won a crucial penalty after mauling the Welsh to bits and Stander was right up on Peter O'Mahony and in his face - "YESSS!! Yes Pete!" He was still out there at the death and could be heard whopping away as Jacob Stockdale intercepted Gareth Anscombe's desperate, slung pass to seal Ireland's win at 37-27. Jackson's mic caught Stander absolutely loving the moment.
"CaaaaaAAAATCH.... yes! YES!!!"
At that point, as Jackson sets off in pursuit of the play, the TV camera cut off and Stander's cries drifted away.
As the likes of Conor Murray, Quinn Roux and Joey Carbery converged on Stockdale, Stander could be found around the Welsh 10-metre line. His shoulders slumped in that knowing sensation of a job finally complete.
The talking, charging, carrying, ruck-hitting, tackling and covering could finally stop.Explore more on these topics: