The sound of hissing air around Leinster Rugby on Monday afternoon was that of Jacques Nienaber perforating conspiracy theorists’ notions.
As the theorists saw it, the Leinster senior coach was embedded in Dublin to learn the Irish system for two years before the next World Cup. Then he would be able to return to from where he came, South Africa, loaded with top secret cargo about Ireland’s strengths and weaknesses and in a dastardly fashion furnish the Springboks with fresh intel.
Nienaber, quite clearly, explains that is nonsense, adding he now prefers Leinster’s club rugby dynamics to the Test rugby beast. If he has his way, he will remain in the club game even after his current contract with Leinster expires.
“I’m signed until 2026. That was the contract they gave me. I didn’t go ‘listen lads, give me a contract until 2026′. I got given a contract by Leinster until that date and that’s it,” says the twice World Cup winning coach.
It is not that Nienaber does not miss the adrenalin rush of the international game, with meetings between Ireland and the Springboks now ranked among the biggest clashes in world rugby. Club rugby, he says, is “more creative” and a longer-term project of developing and nurturing players as well as winning trophies has become an enjoyable part of his day-to-day coaching life. With Leinster, he has the freedom to do that.
“I must choose my words now nicely,” he says. “Let me start by saying that international rugby isn’t as creative as club rugby, because you don’t work as long with them. You only get them in a week before a Test match.
“I do miss it in the one sense, but if you ask me ‘do you want to go back there now?’ No, I don’t want to go back there. I like the development that I’m currently, as a coach, experiencing and the stimulus that I’m getting currently at club level. That’s why I wanted to leave international rugby from a coach point of view, to just get exposure again at club level, because it’s different.
“Teams have a crack at you every week, where at international level you will play ... when we left in 2018, we didn’t play against Ireland until 2022. So, your defence never gets tested by an Irish attack, where here you get tested weekly, which is great.”
The all-or-nothing aspect of Test level rugby, he says, has its own attractions and drama, but it also encourages teams to be risk-free. Citing an attacking tap penalty South Africa took against France in 2023 as a breakthrough in Test rugby terms, club rugby had been doing it against teams for two years before that.
“Even if you look at, I use it often as an example, quick tap penalties in the ‘22′. I think it was in club rugby probably two years before an international team were doing it. In 2023 against France, we scored the try that won us the game in the (World Cup) quarter-final from a quick tap penalty, which is something. If I ask you have you seen that ever with South Africa, ever in your life? No, because it is just something that you would not think of doing. Because there is too much risk. Why don’t you just kick out and go for the maul.”
That should be music to the ears of, so far, unbeaten Leinster as they face into another weekend against the Lions in Aviva Stadium. Already 20,500 tickets have been sold for the lower bowl of the arena, which has a 22,300 capacity. The upper levels will not be opened even if the demand for tickets exceeds the capacity.
Ciarán Frawley won’t play but Nienaber hopes he will be fit for the November Series and the opening game against the All Blacks, if required by Andy Farrell. Sam Prendergast is likely to step in this week at outhalf with backrow Ryan Baird in the final stages of Graduated Return to Play Protocols and lock Joe McCarthy also stepping up his recovery. Centre Robbie Henshaw has resumed full training and will be available for selection, while Irish winger Jordan Larmour and frontrow John McKee will be assessed later in the week.
“It’s been a great start and I think from a performance point of view and the winning and the bonus points that’s good,” says Nienaber. “But I think the other thing that is very positive for me is the growth of the squad and the experience and great squad depth. Leo said it in his post-match interview. There were five academy players, there was two new caps. It’s always nice to see the growth and the academy guys getting exposure.”
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