Big boy.

CJ Stander played 62 minutes on Saturday evening against England despite a double cheek and eye socket fracture, with many questioning why the Munster number eight was replaced sooner after picking up the injury just three minutes into the game.

Well we have answer – they simply weren’t aware because Stander chose not to disclose the problem. The 28-year-old was eventually replaced by Sean O’Brien after 65 minutes, with the Irish Rugby medical team unaware he was carrying such a significant injury until the 62nd minute. And with Stander sporting a scrum cap – it’s easy to see why they might have missed it, especially at half-time.

Stander playing on and saying nothing is even more miraculous when you consider he attempted 20 tackles in that time and completed every last one of them. He now faces up to four weeks out with the injury following a scan.

Provincial teammate Peter O’Mahony said Stander is “a big boy” and is “well able” when asked if the South African-born star was in pain. As far as O’Mahony in concerned, injuries like this are simply part of the job.

“CJ is a big boy now, he is well able,” O’Mahony said

“As you saw, it was a sore one but he will rest up now for a few weeks and hopefully we’ll have him back in a couple of weeks, depending on a couple of factors, I suppose. That’s the job we’re in, unfortunately.”

[The42.ie]