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'It's common knowledge': Jacques Nienaber clarifies recent Bok remarks

Senior coach Jacques Nienaber during a Leinster Rugby squad training at UCD in Dublin. (Photo By Sam Barnes/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
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Jacques Nienaber has moved to shut down speculation linking him with a return to the Springboks, insisting comments made in a recent SuperSport interview were taken out of context.

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The Leinster coach spoke recently to the South African broadcaster and remarks regarding missing the Springboks had been taken by many as an indication that the Rugby World Cup winning coach may be an eyeing a return to the Bok fold.

Nienaber has now poured a certain amount of cold water on that particular braai.

“The whole interview was about my time in Leinster,” he said. “Do yourself the trouble of listening to the whole interview and you’ll see the whole context,” Nienaber told RTE.

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He said the viral line about missing the Springboks had been lifted from a wider answer.

“Then I said that it’s not to say that because I enjoy Leinster that I don’t enjoy South Africa or I don’t love the Springboks. I still love the Springboks and I enjoyed my time there.”

“It doesn’t sound like because I enjoy it here, I dislike what I did there. That was the whole thing, that was the comment,” he added. “I get used to it now, people just taking the ‘I really love the Springboks’ line and they just go onto that.”

Nienaber emphasised he is settled in Dublin.

“You start making friends in Ireland that you can actually go on holiday with… We really enjoy Dublin and the club. I enjoy working with the players and there is a lot of stimulation.

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“I said my contract with Leinster is until the end of the 2027 season. That’s when my contract finishes and that is a fact. It’s common knowledge… everybody knows that.”

As for what follows, he said only practical realities will shape the decision. “I can’t tell you what happens then… I’m the sole provider of my family.”

“My wife is not working. She can’t work as a physio in Ireland because there are enough physios here. It’s on the red list,” he said. “My two kids are studying… so I must get a job. So hopefully I get a job after my contract expires with Leinster.

“Whatever then is up that’s the best for me to provide for my family and suits my family, I will definitely look at that.”

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Eric Elwood 284 days ago

The issue his Leinster players may have is not what Nienaber said, but the timing. Both he and Erasmus brought this possibility up two days before Ireland versus South Africa, a match where the majority of Irish starters were Leinster players. The coach of your Provincial team starts musing about re-joining the International team you are just about to face? Suspiciously poor timing.

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GodOfFriedChicken 52 minutes ago
Dave Rennie's initial assessment of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series

Yep a lot of key players were injured and on top of that. NZ has a growing issue with losing up and coming talent to league (e.g. Harry Inch, who was being touted as a future ABs 10), an issue South Africa doesn’t have, and they don’t have our eligibility restrictions. The likes of Frizzell or Flanders could’ve helped the situation at 6 or Retallick at lock (even just for the IP at camp). Honestly though, Super Rugby simply doesn’t pay anywhere near enough to just open the floodgates and let the players move without the carrot of an ABs jersey unless they boost the salary caps enough to be competitive (perhaps not to the same amount as the European clubs, but even if it’s up to like 3/4 what they pay). I’d prefer that they increase the salary cap, loosen the eligibility within Super Rugby (i.e. letting NZers playing in Aussie teams still be eligible) and actively shop players around more for their sabbaticals (especially to Europe with what that’s done for Jordie and Rieko).

Honestly with the bench, what the ABs historically had were midfielders who got in the breakdowns and functioned as spare loosies. Conrad Smith was underrated as a turnover merchant in his own right and Nonu used to help with a lot of cleanouts. I don’t quite think we need to adopt a 6-2 (I’ve already seen it fail in the NPC a few times, including my own team getting injuries and having to put a 9 on the wing to bad results) but just manage the skillsets better.



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