Former Springbok boss Jacques Nienaber has hit back at fierce criticism from the Irish media following Leinster's Champions Cup final defeat, hinting that his time in Dublin could be coming to an early end. Photo: AFP
Image: AFP
Judging by a miffed Jacques Nienaber’s comments in a Leinster press conference on Monday, the former Springbok coach could be heading back to South Africa sooner rather than later, and it is not impossible he will be with the national team at next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Defence coach Nienaber tends to be the scapegoat whenever Leinster loses, while seldom getting credit when they win, and he has had enough of the criticism, which reached its zenith after the Dublin team were hammered by Bordeaux in the Champions Cup final.
Nienaber was asked a question about his future in a press conference ahead of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship semi-final against the Stormers. When he answered, he referenced a comment made in the Irish Independent by reporter Ruaidhri O’Connor that Leinster had “made a deal with the devil”.
“If, as he said, I’m ‘a devil', I probably won’t be staying,” Nienaber said, despite his contract running until the end of the 2027 provincial season.
“Let me put it to you this way,” Nienaber explained. “Who fires you? Do you know who fires you? The public, the media, they fire you,” he added.
“Not the CEO, not Shane Nolan (the Leinster CEO). He doesn’t fire me, but you guys (the media) fire us, fire all coaches, because the pressure builds up and builds up, and the fans then build the pressure on them, and then the board just say, ‘Listen, lads, I think we must part ways’.
“When I say you guys, I’m saying the media. There’s a misconception that people get fired by the CEOs. That is because of the pressure put on CEOs by the boards, by people listening.
“Let’s say the board member has dinner with his mates, and they go, ‘Sheesh, that Nienaber, you signed a deal with the devil, man. You signed a deal with the devil, you need to get rid of that devil, he’s killing Irish rugby'. That is how you get fired.
“So your question is, listen, am I going to be here? I hope so, okay. Currently, I’m not sure, to be honest.
“I don’t think people value me here.”
Nienaber joined Leinster after guiding the Springboks to the 2023 World Cup title, but former Irish players have never warmed to him and have continually stated publicly that his defensive system doesn’t suit Irish players.
The criticism reached a crescendo when Bordeaux beat Leinster 41-19. Head coach Leo Cullen had previously been granted leeway by the critics, but he is now in the firing line, too.
“It’s not for Leo to value me. People don’t value. The moment you lose the changing room or the fan base, you’ve got to go.
"You could just hang there and take your cheque, but no. They don’t want you there.
“I’ve been here three years, coached two finals and a semi-final of Europe. One semi-final loss, two final losses. URC; semi-final and a final. Won one.
“Listen, I can only fight through results, can’t I? I’m asking, am I that s***?”
“You say ‘you’re making the deal with the devil, this risk isn’t paying off’. Are you supporting me?”
Meanwhile, Leinster are nursing a raft of injuries after bruising games against Bordeaux and the Lions. The star players in the race to get fit for the Stormers are: Prop Tadhg Furlong, hookers Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher, lock Joe McCarthy, centre Garry Ringrose, and wingers Tommy O’Brien and Jordan Larmour.