Nienaber: Nothing official yet regarding Ciarán Frawley's future

NOTHING OFFICIAL: Jacques Nienaber was well into his answer to a question about a report that the versatile Ciarán Frawley will be Connacht-bound next summer when he stopped mid-sentence, smiled and explained himself. Picture: ©INPHO/Grace Halton

Jacques Nienaber was well into his answer to a question about a report that the versatile Ciarán Frawley will be Connacht-bound next summer when he stopped mid-sentence, smiled and explained himself.

"I'm laughing because it's me and contracts again.” 

It’s only a handful of weeks since Nienaber was having a far more testy exchange with the media on the back of the interview he gave to SuperSport, a South African TV station, when he talked up the possibility of working with the Springboks again come 2027.

Whatever about Nienaber’s next chapter, after his current contract as a senior coach with Leinster expires in just over 18 months’ time, the hope for Irish rugby and its depth chart is that there are as many players playing as much elite rugby as is possible.

Leinster have had an embarrassment of riches in different departments in recent times, thanks to a conveyor belt that is the schools system and other advantages, whether they be demographic, geographic or financial.

Out-half is an area where they are well-stocked right now, with Ireland’s first-choice No.10 Sam Prendergast and Harry Byrne the standout candidates for the bigger games and young Casper Gabriel a hugely exciting prospect who recently made his debut.

Frawley has played 111 times for the province and nine for Ireland but there have been just 18 starts in the playmaker’s position for Leinster and none with his country. According to Bernard Jackman on the42’s rugby pod, Connacht are after him and see him as a ten.

“I don’t think there’s anything official yet but, listen, he's an outstanding bloke and if it's the truth or not, listen, it would be lovely having him or working with him until the end of the season. I really enjoy him as a person myself.” 

Nienaber has given different explanations as to his role at Leinster. He described himself as the defence coach, no more or less, in the wake of last season’s Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton Saints.

In that SuperSport interview, he framed the job as the man in charge of the rugby operation, as a senior coach in the mould of Stuart Lancaster before him. As for contract stuff, that is more Leo Cullen and chief operating officer Guy Easterby’s portfolio, he said.

“I definitely will have input when there's anything from a rugby point of view when it comes to contracting, but it will literally be rugby input, what do I think about his breakdown, his attack, or stuff like that.” 

Cullen has fought back in the past against the theory that Leinster need to be stripped of some assets so that they can be redistributed around the other provinces, and it only takes a couple of overlapping injuries to leave them looking a tad light in some areas.

Charlie Tector was a seriously impressive out-half at the U20 grade with Ireland, and is still listed on Leinster’s website as a ten, but he has played the vast majority of his senior rugby at club level as an inside-centre.

Take Frawley permanently out of the squad, and even one of Prendergast and Byrne with an injury, and now Leinster look shy in the position and Cullen’s pushback becomes more understandable, but then it is the player who is central to all this.

David Nucifora always made that point before he was succeeded as the IRFU’s high-performance guru by David Humphreys and Leinster have seen plenty of players make the move away from UCD in times past.

Michael Milne and Lee Barron decamped to Limerick late last season and Michael Alaalatoa is now in the ranks of a Munster squad that they will face in Thomond Park next Saturday after a short spell with Clermont Auvergne on the back of his stint in Dublin.

This is the reality of rugby, Nienaber said. Players move, for all sorts of reasons.

“There's always going to be movement. Players do it because they think that's the right thing for them and for their family. For their career. One has to respect that, if that's the right word. Not honour that, you have to respect that. That is a personal opinion from a player.” 

Leinster will make for Limerick at the weekend seeking a seventh straight win away to their most fierce rivals but with the pain of October’s comprehensive defeat to them in Croke Park still very much in mind.

Andrew Porter has returned to training and is available for the game, as are Will Connors and Cormac Foley, after injury and Tector has come through return-to-play protocols to put his hand up for selection again.

Jack Conan, however, is a doubt after his man-of-the-match run last week against Ulster. Cullen and Nienaber will again juggle their resources as they continue to build rest periods in to the festive schedule for their significant number of Test players.

Leinster’s form is still far from perfect, even as they have racked up five wins on the bounce since that reversal at GAA HQ. Nienaber, while happy with the character being shown in gritting out games, understands that better is required.

“It's for everyone to see that we're probably not firing on all our cylinders and probably inconsistencies. We do some good things, brilliant things, and then we make it difficult for ourselves in doing something that probably is a little bit out of character for us.

“And fair play to the teams that we play. When we make a mistake like last weekend, Ulster is good enough to capitalise on it. The same with Munster when we played them in Croke Park. You don't deal with an attacking kick, they're good enough to punish you.”