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
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.
