Jacques Nienaber to quit South Africa for Leinster after Rugby World Cup

PARIS – South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber is set to leave his job in October after

the Rugby World Cup

to move to Irish province Leinster.

The 50-year-old was an assistant to Rassie Erasmus when South Africa won the 2019 World Cup in Japan. He then took over as head coach in 2020 when Erasmus became the Springboks’ director of rugby.

“Nienaber cited personal reasons for the decision, but said his focus remained on the major task of the year, which was to give everything in the Springboks’ defence of their Rugby World Cup title,” said South Africa Rugby (Sarfu) on Saturday.

Leinster did not specify Nienaber’s job title but he will replace former England coach Stuart Lancaster, who held the title of senior coach and is moving to Racing 92 in Paris.

Leo Cullen, who in February signed a two-year contract extension, has been Leinster’s head coach since 2015.

“Jacques is a world-class coach with a winning track record at the very highest level of the game,” Cullen said on the Leinster website.

He added that with South African teams now in the United Rugby Championship and the Champions Cup, “Jacques’ in-depth knowledge and experience of working with the Springboks will be a great addition”.

Nienaber, a trained physiotherapist, started his career as an assistant with the Cape Town-based Stormers from 2008-14.

He had a first stint with the Springboks from 2011-16 before spending a season in Ireland as defence coach at Munster in 2016-17, when Erasmus was the head coach.

The pair then joined the Springboks the following season.

“The last few years have been the highlight of my coaching career and it’s with a heavy heart that I’m finishing up my time with the Springboks and leaving the country for personal reasons,” said Nienaber in the Sarfu statement.

“My sole focus is on seeing the Springboks defend the Rugby World Cup title this year.”

Rian Oberholzer, the Sarfu chief executive officer, said Nienaber “was very open with us about the reasons for wanting to leave South Africa at the end of the season”.

“We will confirm a successor in the title role of Springbok coach in due course. That planning will go on in the background, but Rassie Erasmus’ services are locked in to the end of 2025,” Oberholzer added.

South Africa kick off their World Cup preparations at home to Australia in July in the curtailed Rugby Championship, before visiting New Zealand and entertaining Argentina.

They will also face Wales and the All Blacks in World Cup warm-up matches in Cardiff and London.

The Springboks open their World Cup defence on Sept 10 against Scotland. Their pool also contains Romania, Ireland and Tonga. The World Cup final is on Oct 28. AFP