Why ex-Springboks boss rejected ‘other international’ offers to join Leinster
ex-Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber with the William Webb Ellis trophy during a press conference.
Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber has explained the reasoning behind his move to Leinster and why he turned down other international offers.
Nienaber fronted his first press conference in Leinster blue on Tuesday, explaining why he opted to return to Ireland, joining Leinster and leaving the Springboks.
He joined the Irish Province fresh off the back of winning the World Cup with the Springboks, with South Africa defeating France, England and New Zealand by a single point in each of their playoff matches en route to winning the tournament for a fourth time.
While the final against the All Blacks was just six weeks ago, Nienaber has already cosigned it to history as he looks ahead to his new challenge.
“No, it’s gone! Water under the bridge,” he said when asked to reflect on the World Cup.
“The past is the past; you can’t change that. And the future, the future. One day, when you’re older, maybe you’ll enjoy the memories, but it’s done.”
Family first
Nienaber took over as head coach of the Springboks from long-time friend Rassie Erasmus in 2020 after being promoted from the defence coaching role.
He went on to guide the side to a British and Irish Lions Test Series victory before successfully defending their World Cup title. Despite his success at international level as both a defence and head coach, Nienaber felt that he needed a break from Test rugby after six years with the Boks.
“I just felt I had lost a lot of time with my family. That’s why the decision was made in January/February,” Nienaber explained.
“My wife said, ‘Listen, I don’t think we can do another four years of this.’ The kids said, ‘Dad, we need you at home,’ and that’s why when the opportunity came up again with Leinster, I was nervous because I didn’t want to lose that cutting edge being challenged. I didn’t want to lose that because I feel that makes you a good coach.”
“That’s why this job for me was a perfect fit, I’m going to be challenged as a coach tremendously. There’s going to be big expectations, but at least I have some family time as well.”
International interest
Nienaber spoke to Erasmus and the South African Rugby Union about his decision, and when the opportunity arose with Leinster, they gave him their blessing.
“They were happy with it,” he said. “They gave me their blessing, and then, when the opportunity came up, we announced it as quickly as possible because it was never for me [that] I didn’t want to work in South Africa anymore.
“There was other offers from other internationals. It wasn’t for me to change, or to move, or to come north. It wasn’t anything like that. It was just that I needed to get away from international rugby. That was the reason.”
“Closest you will get to Test match”
Leinster face off against La Rochelle in their opening game of the Champions Cup this weekend, a replay of last season’s final which the French outfit won 27-26.
Looking ahead to the start of the new Champions Cup season, Nienaber believes that the club competition is the closest you can get to international rugby.
“The Heineken Cup is probably the closest you will get to Test match ever,” he said.
“I don’t think even Super Rugby is that close to Test match rugby. So, for me, that’s the thing.
“If you ever want to know if you can make it to Test match level, then the Heineken Cup is the closest thing to it.”
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