CJ Stander believes Jacques Nienaber can take Leinster to another level
ANOTHER LEVEL: South Africa Head Coach Jacques Nienaber and assistant coach Felix Jones celebrate after the game with family. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
CJ Stander believes World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber can take Leinster to another level when he joins Leo Cullen’s backroom team after South Africa’s celebrations.
Nienaber will step down as Springboks head coach after the team’s nationwide tour with the Webb Ellis Cup having been instrumental alongside Rassie Erasmus in engineering back-to-back World Cup triumphs for South Africa since jumping ship from Munster in 2018.
Former Munster and Ireland back-rower Stander worked with the coaching duo for a season and a half from 2017, when Nienaber was defence coach and speaking on a BKT URC round table conference call on Tuesday said of the incoming Leinster senior coach: “I’m actually jealous of the Leinster squad.
“I loved him at Munster. He is unbelievable technically and defensively he is the best around. Imagine getting him and Simon Easterby and Andy Farrell in the same room! That would be special.
“Mentally and physically he can help Leinster take another step up on the ladder. Will it be enough? We will see. Leinster is always a well-oiled machine and he will definitely take them to the next level.
“I remember playing Leinster and we were sitting in a team room. It was just very calm. One thing that always stuck with me was that he said if you play better than your opponent you will win.
“And it’s so obvious. I mean I’m 29 and had won 50 caps for Ireland and I’m thinking I should know this. But as I said, technically he’s spot on. He always told you if you played well when you lost. And if you didn’t play well, you’d get it.”
South African-born Stander also spoke of his delight for former Munster team-mates Jean Kleyn and Damien de Allende in collecting World Cup winner’s medals in Paris last Saturday night following the Springbok’s narrow victory over New Zealand.
“To see (former Ireland international) Jean Kleyn switch and get a lot of stick and then win a World Cup… there’s no comeback once you win that World Cup medal. Hard work pays off. And for Damien too. I’m so pleased for both of them.
“It was a great World Cup. Rugby needed it and it was great to see teams like Portugal and Fiji . I was heart-broken when Ireland lost as I thought they would make the final against South Africa.”
As for his former province, Stander spoke about the difficulty of Graham Rowntree’s men retaining the BKT URC title they won against the Stormers in the Grand Final in Cape Town last May.
“When you win a trophy you always have a target on your back whether you are the most loved or hated team. They are the top team at the moment, they have started well and playing the way Munster are known for.
“Players are stepping up. It will be difficult to retain the title but they will be targeting the play-offs and another home knock-out game.”
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