Jacques Nienaber: Why I left the Springboks!

During his four year tenure in the head coach role at the Springboks, Jacques Nienaber most memorably led the team to a historic series win over the British & Irish Lions and a famous World Cup triumph in France.

BOMBSHELL: Springboks to play All Blacks in Cape Town in 2024?

However, he has now taken up a new role as Leinster’s senior coach, and recently shed further light on what led him to step away from the Springboks.

“I just felt I had lost a lot of time with my family. That’s why the decision was made between January and 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.”

ALSO READ | How the Springboks’ coaching staff will look in 2024!

JACQUES NIENABER RECEIVED THE ‘BLESSING’ OF THE SPRINGBOKS

Nienaber added that close friend Rassie Erasmus understood the decision, while also explained why he wanted to return to a provincial level.

“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 were 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.”

ALSO READ | Where is forgotten Springbok Sbu Nkosi?

NIENABER HAS BEEN WELCOMED IN IRELAND

🏟️ | 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗗𝗦, 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀.

The first photo of Jacques Nienaber in Leinster blue at the RDS Arena. 💙#FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/SVGryCWDFy

— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) December 5, 2023