Ireland vs South Africa summer tour: Write us off at your peril, CJ Stander warns Springboks

Stander has seized his chance during injury-hit Ireland’s Six Nations campaign

CJ Stander believes the underdog tag will give Ireland something extra to fight for (Reuters)

CJ Stander believes the Springboks have already “written off” Ireland’s chances in their three-Test tour of South Africa in June, following the failed defence of their Six Nations title.

The 2014 and 2015 Six Nations champions had to settle for third place in this year’s championship after winning just two of their five matches.

Stander, who left his native South Africa for Munster in 2012 after being told he was too small to play back-row for the Boks, believes Joe Schmidt’s men must battle home expectations on tour this summer.

“The family in South Africa keep me up to date with what’s going on there,” said Stander. “They are writing us off because of a few losses here and there and because we weren’t chasing the Six Nations title.

“Going down to South Africa is going to be a big challenge, you’re going to have to be very physical, they are big boys. They are a great team, everyone knows that. But if you’re written off and categorised as the underdogs, then that’s always something extra to fight for, to prove that wrong. So there’s both sides to the story.”

Stander, who has won five caps for his adopted nation after qualifying on residency grounds, has seized his chance during injury-hit Ireland’s Six Nations campaign, capitalising on the absence of his Munster colleague Peter O’Mahony.

The forward has impressed, starting every match at blind-side flanker and boosting head coach Schmidt’s options for June’s tour.

Captain Rory Best insists Ireland are more than capable of beating the Springboks, but Schmidt will be sweating on a number of long-term absentees. O’Mahony and lock Iain Henderson should be back but Ireland would be boosted by the return of tight-head prop Marty Moore.