Jacques Nienaber: 'I don't understand the spying thing'

It was reported that one top rugby nation had asked World Rugby for clarification about sanctions for any teams found to be spying.

OPEN BOOK: South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber says the Boks have been transparent. Picture: INPHO/SteveHaagSports/Steve Haag

South African boss Jacques Nienaber has questioned why any side should need to spy on another and declared that there is more than enough information available through legitimate means.

It was reported earlier this week that one Tier One nation had asked World Rugby for clarification about sanctions for any teams found to be spying on other sides and that there was reason to believe that this has happened in recent years.

The British and Irish Lions expressed fears that some of their sessions were being tracked when they toured South Africa two years ago and Eddie Jones revealed that England’s security staff had noticed someone capturing their work before the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in 2019.

New Zealand head coach Ian Foster didn't seem too perturbed when asked about the latest reports earlier this week and Nienaber, who said he was made aware of it by his wife as he has not been on social media, gave an in-depth take on it on Friday morning.

“I can’t talk for other teams, I can just talk for us, but if you look at how we do things we announce our team very early in the week. The players know on the Monday - and we would probably announce it on Monday if we could but my rugby programme that day is just too busy.

“Tuesday I am not as responsible for the rugby stuff on that day. So Tuesday suits us better to announce it. We get it out as quickly as possible. We don’t believe it has any bearing on people knowing or not knowing the team. Even further than that, if you look at [the documentary] ‘Chasing the Sun’ after the last World Cup, we put it out there.

“I don’t think there’s people who don’t know how we operate inside the Springbok environment. Even locally we had the ‘Inside the Boks’ series where we will go into depth as to how we manage our players, so we are as transparent as we can be. I’m not saying other teams are like that, I’m just giving my perception on it.” 

Nienaber used Scotland, their opponents in Pool B this Sunday, as an example of the information readily available to teams these days, and he made the point that both he and Rassie Erasmus have been coaching against Gregor Townsend since their Munster days in 2016.

The Springbok pair met Townsend’s Glasgow four times in one season alone while based in Limerick having drawn the region in their European pool. They aren't expecting any major tactical curveballs in Marseille.

“So with proper analysis you have an incredibly good idea of what you might face on Saturday [sic]. Yes there might be a 5-10% change of something new that you bring in. I ask you guys: do you think we are going to use a maul on Saturday?

“You will probably agree. And did you spy on us? No, it is because you know us. I don’t understand the spying thing. Through proper analysis you have a pretty good idea what’s coming your way.”