Jacques Nienaber’s verdict on the Springboks defence as he puts ‘family first’ with Leinster extension
Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber at the 2023 Rugby World Cup and an inset of the latter at Leinster.
Former Springboks boss Jacques Nienaber has explained his reasoning behind signing a contract extension at Leinster.
The defence guru joined the Irish giants after winning the 2023 Rugby World Cup as the Boks head coach, and while he has left the door ajar for a return in time for the title defence in 2027, he is content with life in Ireland.
Last week, it was confirmed that Nienaber had signed an extension through to the end of the 2026/27 season with Leinster, and he explained that he opted to re-sign with the club to spend more time with his family.
Family first
Working with a URC team means that for the vast majority of the season, he is based in Dublin and can spend more time with his wife and children. If he were still involved with the Springboks coaching team, he would spend almost half the year away from his family.
“It’s family first for me,” Nienaber told Rapport.
“An away game here means that I’m away on Friday and back home on Saturday night.
“People say my kids are studying in Stellenbosch, but you know what, I see them as much as I saw them when I was with the Boks.
“But the difference is that when they come to Dublin, they are with us. My son has to go have a beer and play golf with me because his friends are not here. At home (in Cape Town), they are with their friends, and I don’t see them as much.”
While family is a major factor in Nienaber’s decision to remain in Dublin, the challenge of coaching in the United Rugby Championship and growing as a coach has also played a role.
He is also enjoying the less pressured environment compared to international rugby, where every single match matters more.
“Our league matches in the URC aren’t really recorded anywhere; it only really starts to matter from the play-offs,” he added.
“Of course, the league matches are very important because that’s the only route you have to qualify for the top eight.”
Rassie Erasmus demand ‘complicating negotiations’ as SA Rugby risk losing Springboks boss
Desire to get better
A fresh challenge every week also excites the man who masterminded the Springboks’ defence that won back-to-back Rugby World Cups, but he hasn’t rested on his laurels and has made tweaks to the system since leaving the Test scene.
“The defensive system that I coached at the Boks in 2023 has grown so much with the plans and tactics I’ve had to make. It’s a good thing for me as a coach, and I’ll be able to apply that elsewhere one day,” Nienaber said.
Having initially started as a physio, Nienaber got into coaching later than many of his colleagues. He says that he still has plenty of energy because of this and adds that he is enjoying the challenge at Leinster with an intelligent group of players who he can’t sprout nonsense to.
“I still have a lot of energy,” he explained. “I want to see if I can get even better.
“They challenge you as a coach, it’s like with the Boks, where you can’t talk nonsense, the players will catch you out, you have to speak sense.
“Your plans have to be on the cutting edge, how you sell it to the players and how you manage them too… At Leinster, you are basically coaching an international team; you can’t come up with a questionable proposal.”
Verdict on Springboks’ defence
Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus enlisted the assistance of Irishman Jerry Flannery following Nienaber’s departure to Ireland, and while he has copped a fair bit of criticism this year, the former head coach is impressed with the job he has done so far.
Nienaber got a first-hand look at the Springboks’ plans earlier this year when he spent a week in the set-up ahead of their opening match of the season against the Barbarians.
When asked about South Africa’s defensive efforts so far in 2025, Nienaber simply pointed to the stats.
“The Springboks have conceded the fewest points in the Rugby Championship so far,” he remarked.
With his short-term future now confirmed, his focus shifts to the upcoming season as Leinster aim to defend their URC title and go in search of that elusive fifth Investec Championship Cup trophy.
Their opening game of their campaign is in Cape Town against the Stormers, before a rematch of last season’s final with a trip to Pretoria to take on the Bulls.
The Irish province make it a hat-trick of South African opposition to kickstart the new season as they host the Sharks in round three before the first Inter-Pro clash against Munster in round four.
READ MORE: Ex-All Black urges Scott Robertson to follow Rassie Erasmus’ lead in bid to improve depth
