RG Snyman hails former Bok coach Jacques Nienaber's impact at Leinster

By SABC Sport
10th April 2025

Former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has been a revelation at Leinster, according to South African giant RG Snyman.

Snyman knows Nienaber well, as the duo were part of South Africa's back-to-back Rugby World Cup-winning campaigns in Japan in 2019 and in France in 2023.

Nienaber initially worked as South Africa's defence coach in 2018 and 2019 but was promoted to the head coaching position in 2020 and guided the Boks to their fourth World Cup title three years later, before joining Leinster's coaching staff at the end of 2023.

Meanwhile, Snyman has had a longer stint in Ireland and after initially spending two injury-plagued seasons with Munster, he made the switch to arch-rivals Leinster ahead of the 2024/25 season.

After winning those two World Cup titles with the Boks, Snyman is a big fan of Nienaber's coaching style and said he is popular amongst the rest of Leinster's players.

"The guys enjoy him because of the way he coaches and the kind of person he is," he told Rapport. "The guys get a lot of energy from him, especially in training.

"He is a very important coach and leader for Leinster. The players learn a lot from him, especially about the right mental attitude. It's a privilege to work with him."

Nienaber is a vital cog in the Leinster machine, and his defensive expertise has helped the side to the top of the United Rugby Championship standings and an Investec Champions Cup quarter-final against Glasgow Warriors at the Aviva Stadium on Friday.

"He will give his all for that team and make a positive difference. That's 100% what he does at Leinster. He brings a different mindset to the defence in particular," Snyman said.

Snyman recently signed a one-year contract extension with Leinster and revealed that Nienaber's presence made it easy for him to recommit to the province.

"At this stage, I feel this is where my rugby is progressing. This season for me is about enjoying my rugby and expressing myself on the field," added the 30-year-old.

"It's also an advantage to have Jacques here to further improve my game. Jacques knows exactly what to look for because he worked with the Boks for a long time."