Nienaber set to be the new Bok coach?

Re News 24

Cape Town - Jacques Nienaber is reportedly in the inside lane to become the next head coach of the Springboks.

Current coach Rassie Erasmus has already announced that he will step down as head coach to instead focus on his Director of Rugby role at SA Rugby.

The new coach will report directly to Erasmus and according to Netwerk24, current defence coach Nienaber is the likely candidate to step into the head coaching role.

Erasmus and Nienaber have a long history, having first met in the army before crossing paths at the University of the Free State's Shimlas team where Nienaber was the physiotherapist and Erasmus the captain.

When Erasmus became coach of the Free State Cheetahs, he appointed Nienaber as strength and conditioning coach, with the latter later shifting his focus to the team's defensive structures.

Nienaber followed Erasmus to the Stormers and also Munster in Ireland, before starting at the Springboks last year.

South Africa's World Cup win was built on a staunch defensive structure and for that Nienaber deserves credit.

I can think of worse coaches! Nobody really considered him as an option to replace Rassie, but I think he is a cracking option! Bring in Jamie Joseph as the attack coach, and leave the rest of the coaching staff as is. Obvioulsy get rid of Stick for Joseph, just thought I'd add that in there for clarity. 

HQ Approves!

We too could think of many worse options.

He also clearly enjoys working with Rassie.

That means four more years of the Stompie Boks. 

We are fashioned on the dour Stompies blueprint. It'll be interesting how you respond to that. One swallow does not a Summer make. You have many tears ahead of you. 

Dave

I think the setting is 100%  correct - another four years of rugby genius presence.   I think that Jones will replace Nienaber.   He is really a person very similar to Erasmus in rugby analysis and development.    

I think that Munster will support the three - they are still talking about brilliant Erasmus and Jones were when they coached that team.   Wonder what Stander would say about that?       

Would he still be able to go on the field as a physio? What an advantage we've had having our defence coach on the sidelines relaying info in real time.

He was on the field for every stoppage with his towel and magic water but never actually involved with an injury or knock. BRILLIANT!

xavi

I think that role will be taken over by Jones.  

AO 

In a final effort to get some sense into you read the following about what Swys De Bruin said about Erasmus on TV:-

There was a discussion on TV tonight and Swys de Bruin said something about Erasmus.  Since he worked with Erasmus and knows more about the background Erasmus sketched to him and the other staff in May 2018 what he is aiming to achieve.    His objectives remained unchanged and we saw it in the game yesterday.

De Bruin said that they had to find the right player combinations to execute the ultimate plan.  To that end the trial of the game plan was used against the English team last year in June.   They  tried out the ultimate plan in the first two tests won by the Springboks. It basically worked, but there were gaps too.   Erasmus then changed the players in the third test and it failed.  The situation was constantly reviewed afterwards bearing in mind player combinations.

As to the situation since August this year it was clear that in the Japan test in August the plan was used extensively.   In the AB test clarity was reached that there was still one issue that needs attention.   In the other games before the play-offs the plan was consistently used - but it was altered slightly in both the quarterfinal and the semi.  The full plan was used to perfection in the final.   

The key player to be changed after the AB WC test was your beloved Mostert - who was pooor not only in Tight 5 contributions and failed in defense resulting in scoring of one of the AB tries. 

So there was a plan all the time - a plan aimed at comprehensive rugby and the fact is why Erasmus was a better coach than the planless Meyer ever was.   Go and see what is happening at Stade Francais with Meyer as coach - no plan and no progress in rugby at all.   You can just have a look at the following link:-

 https://www.flashscore.com/rugby-union/france/top-14/standings/

Maybe you would probably never understand, but Esterhuizen lost out because he were useless when it came to plan implementation.   He was tried out - but failed 

So the fact was not a one-dimensional approach and everything happened according to  a well-worked out plan excellently implemented.  Really a brilliant thinker Erasmus is.              

If Rassie is in the chain of command to me it seems much more likely that Stick gets the job, especially as he has been involved with the Boks before.

Rassie as shadow head coach and Stick as the coach is   plausible.....but rarely works. You need one man....the right man.

Mozart

Still think Erasmus is a useless coach and not the right man?

Mozart

I do not know why it would be Stick.   Nienaber played a much bigger role in the set-up than Stick did and I think there is a close working relationship between him and Erasmus.   I think Stick will remain as attacking coach - but what will be more interesting is what is going to happen to Jones.   Erasmus did not call the latter up to the WC squad for no reason at all.   Maybe he wanted another person like himself around and he discovered something in Jones that gies him an inside track to Erasmus.      .    

Mozart

I do not know why it would be Stick.   Nienaber played a much bigger role in the set-up than Stick did and I think there is a close working relationship between him and Erasmus.   I think Stick will remain as attacking coach - but what will be more interesting is what is going to happen to Jones.   Erasmus did not call the latter up to the WC squad for no reason at all.   Maybe he wanted another person like himself around and he discovered something in Jones that gies him an inside track to Erasmus.      .    

Rassie won't throw Stick to the wolves, but he also appointed Kolisi...not necessarily the best leader, but the right one for the job at hand at the time...and it worked...who knows what he's planning...