Two Munster legends walk into a bar. Thankfully, it's not a joke - Alan Quinlan sat down with CJ Stander to talk about rugby, life and identity.
Things started off in contemplative fashion, as Quinny asked CJ about how he has changed since coming to Munster, at a time when the province was brought to a standstill by the death of Anthony Foley in 2016.
"In real life, you get a lot of lessons. Life is going to smack you at some stage, so you might as well enjoy it! That is something that I learned at a young age.
"There have been some unbelievable highs but those lows will always come back to you. There is one thing that I have learned: where I am living, everyone protects everyone and builds each other up.
"Sometimes we have not even qualified for the quarters - the last two years we have qualified for the semis. Do we want to push on from there? 100%.
"We have got a great squad, and good coaches too. Rugby has changed a lot. Teams have got a lot better."
After a tumultuous Six Nations campaign, CJ was more than happy to elucidate on what it meant for the Irish setup to experience such a drop-off in form.
"We set expectations for ourselves, and we were disappointed as well. Everyone wants the team to do well. Teams got better, and sometimes you need to sit back and see where you can improve.
"In the end, there are better ways to do it. To get a dump like that is probably a good thing. We know now what we need to fix. We have been both sides of the see-saw, so we know what we need to improve on."
Stander also believes that from adversity comes strength, and that the side will be stronger for their experiences in 2019.
"Mentally, for sure [it makes you stronger]. Mental toughness comes in the biggest games. If you make sure you know where you are strongest, then it 100% improves you."
Having grown up in South Africa, Stander was also keen to show the kind of 'Irishisms' that he has picked up since moving to these shores.
"A few things - peeling spuds! Once or twice a day now. Four different types of spuds as well! Bacon and cabbage was a new one on me as well. We were training up in UL, and it was one of the first meals I ever had.
" A few slang words here and there - one thing I've learned is 'now'! And Guinness!"
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