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#Post#: 154963--------------------------------------------------
Another unhappy coach - this time at Leinster
DIR By: Boonie
Date: June 2, 2026, 9:37 am
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From the Beeb:
Jacques Nienaber has cast doubt on his Leinster future after
claiming he does not feel valued by the media and fans in
Ireland.
The South African joined the Irish province as a senior coach at
the end of 2023 after helping his country win back-to-back World
Cups.
And while Nienaber - working alongside head coach Leo Cullen -
helped Leinster reclaim the United Rugby Championship title last
year using the blitz defence from his time with the Springboks,
a fifth Champions Cup has continued to elude the club during his
spell.
Speaking before Leinster's URC semi-final against the Stormers
on Saturday (17:30 BST), the 53-year-old - who is under contract
until the end of the 2026-27 season - was asked if he will still
be in his position next season.
"Let me put it to you this way: who fires you? Do you know who
fires you? The public, the media. They fire you. Not the CEO,
not Shane [Nolan]," he said via RTE, external.
"He doesn't fire me, but you guys fire us. Fire all coaches,
because the pressure builds up and builds up, and the fan then
builds the pressure on them, and then they just ask this and
say, 'listen lads, I think we must part ways'.
"Your question is, am I going to be here? I hope so. Currently,
I'm not sure, to be honest, because people don't value me here.
They don't."
Asked if Cullen values his contributions, Nienaber added: "It's
not for Leo [to value me]. People don't value...the moment you
lose the team or the fan, you've got to go. The moment you lose
the changing room or the club, the fanbase, you've got to go.
"You could just hang there and take your cheque, but no. They
don't want you there."
Nienaber was speaking to reporters for the first time since
Leinster were blown away in the Champions Cup final on 23 May as
Bordeaux-Begles scored five first-half tries to win 41-19 in
Bilbao and defend their crown.
Following that loss - their fourth in the past five finals -
Cullen said Leinster will undertake an in-depth operational
review this summer.
Asked if he would be willing to abandon a blitz defence system,
Nienaber said: "I will always serve the club.
"The moment you are not serving the club, your ego is done."
He added: "I mean, before I went to Munster I coached the drift
defence at the Stormers and we were pretty good at it, have a
look. We didn't concede too many tries in Super Rugby.
"It's not the case that I don't understand the other system, I
understand it, but both systems…there's not one that's better
than the other."
It is not the first terse exchange Nienaber has had with
reporters this season. In December, he was moved to clarify
comments he made about his time at Leinster in an interview with
South African outlet SuperSport.
Cullen has also bristled during his dealings with the media in
recent times. Last month, he said the media "love throwing the
boot in" at the Irish province while last weekend he snapped
back at online "trolls" following his side's comprehensive URC
quarter-final win over the Lions.
#Post#: 154964--------------------------------------------------
Re: Another unhappy coach - this time at Leinster
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: June 2, 2026, 9:50 am
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I think he also arrived at a time where that great, effective
Irish/Leinster side were starting their decline. Everyone has
figured them out and French, Bok, Kiwi sides have plans for
them.
He might also work better for a side like Quins where we just
want to compete and have the odd trophy than a side who feel not
winning Europe every year is abject failure?
#Post#: 154977--------------------------------------------------
Re: Another unhappy coach - this time at Leinster
DIR By: FrostAndFire
Date: June 2, 2026, 11:38 am
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--- Quote from: Banstead Quin link ---
>
> He might also work better for a side like Quins where we just
want to compete and have the odd trophy than a side who feel not
winning Europe every year is abject failure?
>
--- End Quote ---
Winning more often than losing would be a nice start, and I'll
take any coach who can bring that about.
#Post#: 154985--------------------------------------------------
Re: Another unhappy coach - this time at Leinster
DIR By: Rocker
Date: June 2, 2026, 5:23 pm
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I think he might have been sent as an inside man. But like Felix
Jones with England.... Paranoid conspiracy theory maybe but
there's a bit of a pattern.....
#Post#: 154994--------------------------------------------------
Re: Another unhappy coach - this time at Leinster
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: June 3, 2026, 3:26 am
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What's the suggestion with Felix Jones, that SA wanted him to
undermine us, or that Ireland did? If it's the former that's
pretty funny considering the modern England side is basically a
much worse version of SA and one of their easier top-tier
matchups in tournaments.
#Post#: 154997--------------------------------------------------
Re: Another unhappy coach - this time at Leinster
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: June 3, 2026, 4:13 am
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Plus we don't need an external disruptor, we've got Borethick &
Wiggy
#Post#: 155036--------------------------------------------------
Re: Another unhappy coach - this time at Leinster
DIR By: Sussex Phil
Date: June 3, 2026, 3:00 pm
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Of the available anagrams I quite like Throbwick or Workb!tch...
And then there is Egg howls writ or Gels right, Wow!
#Post#: 155226--------------------------------------------------
Re: Another unhappy coach - this time at Leinster
DIR By: Bolly-Quin
Date: June 6, 2026, 3:20 pm
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--- Quote from: Sussex Phil link ---
>
> Of the available anagrams I quite like
--- End Quote ---
...Sip lush sex
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