Nienaber already a hit in Ireland, can Boks get him back?
Jacques Nienaber is already making a success of his new role in Ireland, but could he return to the Springboks in the near future?
After winning the World Cup, Nienaber has opted to further his career at Leinster, where he replaced Stuart Lancaster as a senior coach.
The Irish club are currently top of the URC log, while they also sit at the summit of their pool in the Champions Cup after two games, both of which they’ve won.
ALSO READ | Is this Springbok star truly the best player in the world?
Nienaber has quickly won high praise from a leading player, Ireland loose forward Josh van der Flier, who described his impact recently.
“Jacques is brilliant. One thing about him, it’s hard to describe it really, I find he really inspires you. I’d be going into a game wanting to defend for him. He’s a really inspirational person in that way,” added Van der Flier.
“The amount of work he puts in is incredible. I’ve had a few glimpses at his laptop when he’s been showing me things, and he puts a huge amount of work into defence and goes into the tiniest details.
“It’s brilliant to have him in. Another part of it is he obviously brings all the experience from two World Cup-winning teams and he’s got a lot of wisdom in that way as well.”
ALSO READ | Rassie Erasmus opens up on health scare, telling players
COULD NIENABER RETURN TO THE BOKS ONE DAY?
Although the World Cup winning coach is currently committed to Leinster, it has been reported that he could be roped back in by the Boks as soon as 2026, when he could return to a key role ahead of the next global showpiece.
ALSO READ: Three major decisions for Rassie Erasmus as new Springbok coach
Previously, Nienaber even hinted that he hopes to one day return to coaching the side.
“You don’t know the future. That’s how I see it. I’m not emotional… You can plan life as much as you want but life has its own ways. Destiny has its own way.
“I just focus on how you should approach the game, that any day can be your last day with the team. I just enjoy every single minute of it. I stay in the now and enjoy the players. I’ve twice been in positions where I’ve thought this is the end – I’ll never be here again and look where we are now.”
ICYMI: Wales coach hits out at Springboks’ bomb squad bench
WHY HE LEFT THE BOKS
Nienaber 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!
ALSO READ | Rassie to step back in as Springbok coach, but for how long?