THERE WAS SOME confusion on the touchline during Saturday’s Champions Cup final when Leinster assistant coach Jacques Nienaber appeared on the sideline as a water-carrier.
Nienaber left the Leinster coaching box at half-time to spend the second half on the touchline as he took on water-carrier duties – a role he often undertook during his time coaching the Springboks and most recently with Leinster during their URC loss to Ulster a week previously.
The move initially appeared to cause confusion with the touchline officials while Toulouse angrily objected.
Ultimately Nienaber was allowed remain on the touchline and speaking yesterday, he was happy to address the issue in detail – outlining he had been cleared to perform the role by tournament organisers EPCR before offering an impassioned, lengthy explanation detailing why he likes to take up a position closer to the action.
“I actually want to stay on that a bit because I want to nip it in the bud as quickly as possible,” Nienaber said.
“The thing is, I don’t know if you guys know but I think this is my 25th year in pro rugby, I started in 1999 in Super Rugby and I’ve been 21 years involved in rugby as the official next to the touchline, so I’ve been more next to the field than I’ve been in the box.
“I was only in the box when I became head coach and it is stated in World Rugby that head coaches are not allowed in the playing perimeter, but Toulouse’s coach [Ugo Mola] gets away with it, I don’t know how, he’s the zone manager or whatever.
Nienaber has come down to touchline for second half.
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) May 25, 2024
Officials have spoke to him and seem to be discussing it. pic.twitter.com/LvkSP1VyXn
“But technically you’re not allowed there as head coach, that’s why when I came down they thought I was the head coach. Toulouse made the objection but then EPCR had asked beforehand am I going to be a water carrier because they obviously saw that in the URC before against Ulster [the week previously].
“We had asked URC did they have a problem with that [before the Ulster game] and they had none because I’m not the head coach, and then EPCR asked the same thing and we said yes we might, I don’t know, maybe I’ll start up top and move down.
“So we were open and honest. EPCR said no problem, you’re allowed to be there, but they didn’t know [on the sideline] and then they just had to convince them…. Well, not convince them but tell them listen, he’s not the head coach, he can be there, so no issue.
“And the thing there, if you think about, the beauty of rugby is it’s a game for all shapes and sizes,” Nienaber continued.
“So a 145kg lock, his weight and physical attributes will give him the edge somewhere in the game. But a 79kg Cheslin Kolbe or Jordan Larmour, his athletic ability and size is going to give him an advantage [in a different way].
“I think coaches are the same. I don’t come from a coaching background. If I take international coaches; Rassie [Erasmus] has been an ex-player who is a coach, Faz [Andy Farrell] an ex-player who is a coach, Razor [New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson] an ex-player, he’s a coach.
“I don’t come from that background. I didn’t have the physical attributes to become a top-end rugby player, but God gave me brains so I wanted to be involved in rugby and I went and studied my arse off to become a physio and then through that I transitioned into S&C and then into becoming a defence coach and it almost feels to me now [there is a perception that] Leinster and Jacques are trying to bail out the system.
“I’m not! That was my route to live my dream in terms of becoming a head coach or a coach and that gave me the opportunity to be next to the side of the pitch.
I don’t understand why people think I’m trying, or we’re trying to, play the rules. There’s nothing sinister in it.
“It’s just my route to becoming a coach was different from other coaches and I don’t understand why I should be penalised by that and why people think there’s something sinister, there’s nothing sinister.
“I feel rugby shouldn’t just be for an ex-player to become a coach, there’s going to be kids who don’t have the physical attributes but they’re going to be excellent coaches and they shouldn’t be hampered by the laws. There must be different avenues to live out your dream.
“I just wanted to get it from my chest because it’s a big thing. We are playing the laws of the game. I am much more comfortable based on the side of the pitch because I have been there for 21 years of my life. I’m much more comfortable there than in the coaches box.”
