In almost everything he has done since arriving in Ireland four years ago, CJ Stander has made himself into a legend.
In after a tough start in a new country where he wasn't playing, Stander never complained and kept working hard. We are now seeing the benefits of that determination. His all action displays for Munster and now Ireland, as well as his commitment to learning Amhran na Bhfiann have ensure that Stander remains a fan favourite.
The presence of his wife, Jean-Marie on social media only enhances the couple's standing. In a wonderful interview with the Irish Independent, Jean-Marie details how commited the couple are to their new country, and how much they love Limerick life.
CJ outlined how much the rivalry with England means to him, but according to Jean-Marie the difference between Ireland and England is stark, and it would be harder for his family to buy into Stander's national switch had he moved to England:
They've all bought Ireland jerseys and even if Ireland was playing South Africa, they'd be in emerald green. I think everyone has a soft spot for Ireland - if he'd gone to England, they probably wouldn't have felt the same way!
This is the same sort of patriotism I feel when I watch 'The Wind That Shakes The Barley'.
See Also: CJ Stander's Views On The English Rivalry Are Exactly What Irish Fans Wanted To Hear
So while they always loved the idea of Ireland, when it actually came to moving to Limerick - the research they did on their new home was a little scary. Jean-Marie was full of praise for Munster fans though, and they are loving their time in Limerick even finding a local butcher with their favourite South African spicy sausages.
I got a fright when it said it was one of the places with the least days of sun a year. And we had heard about it being called 'Stab City'. Then we came over and it's nothing like what people said. When the sun is shining in Limerick, it's probably the best place in the world.
Last week, I tweeted, saying CJ's debut match had been deleted from our Sky box, and straight away so many Munster fans got in touch saying, 'We've got it! We'll put it on DVD for you'. They're brilliant.
See Also: The South African Reaction To CJ Stander's Impressive Ireland Debut
See Also: CJ Gets Emotional Recalling How Paul O'Connell Helped Him
Picture credit: Diarmuid Greene / SPORTSFILE
