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Jacques Nienaber comments won't dampen rumour that won't go away
By Ian Cameron
Jacques Nienaber has done little to cool speculation that he could return to the Springboks setup before the next Rugby World Cup, after a fresh round of comments that will only fuel talk of a possible reunion with Rassie Erasmus.
The former Bok head coach, now senior coach at Leinster, has extended his deal in Ireland but pointedly left the international window wide open when speaking to SuperSport ahead of South Africa’s clash with Ireland in Dublin.
“I’ve extended my contract with Leinster for another year, so my contract is up until the end of the 2027 domestic season.”
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“So, I’ll be out of contract at the start of the international season in the southern hemisphere. So, you never know how things will work out.”
Talk of a future return has followed Nienaber ever since he left the Springboks after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Working with Leinster, Nienaber is effectively dealing with the bulk of the Irish team on the daily, meaning when he does leave the province, he will do so with a proverbial shed-load of insider knowledge. Added to this, his long-standing partnership with Erasmus, dating back to their time in the army and later the Cats and Cheetahs, only keeps the door ajar.
“You can try to plan life. When Rassie and I came over [to Ireland, joining Munster] in 2016, we planned to get a passport, and the kids were going to settle here – that was the idea.”
“And then maybe if we’re relevant enough or good enough, we will return when we’re a little bit older. So we thought maybe for the 2023 or the 2027 World Cup, if we’re good enough and relevant enough, but then life happens.”
If that didn’t raise enough eyebrows, his open admission of what he misses most certainly did.
“I miss the Springboks,” said Nienaber. “I really miss the group, and one never knows. From my side, I must make sure that I am still relevant enough and continue to evolve.”
“As a coach, you must still be creative, find different ways, better ways of doing things and then life will take care of itself.”
