RasNaberless 2024...

Apparently, Nienaber has signed for Leinster, in some capacity- not the head coach.

What a cock up we have….if true our head coach can’t command a club head coaching job. And he announces his departure months before the WC.

As for Harrassmiss, they may have to call in the boys in the white coats.

Rassie has signed until sometime in 2025. Apparently, a new head coach will be found, presumably by Erasmus. Naber will leave after the world cup. 

Erasputin without his crutch will be interesting. It'll be another situation like Coetzee, where he takes orders and implements only what Erasputin wishes. I cannot respect a coach who hides in the shadows like this. As I say though, it will be interesting, as Nienaber has always been the core of his model. That defensive spine that everything revolves around. It's sad that we'll have to persist with this disease until 2025 at the least. 

South Africa assistant coaches Mzwandile Stick and Deon Davids are the favourites to succeed Jacques Nienaber as head coach when he quits after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Nienaber announced this weekend he was moving to European giants Leinster after the global showpiece in France from 8 September.

He cited undisclosed "personal reasons" for the decision to leave the reigning world champions after succeeding Rassie Erasmus, now the South African director of rugby, in 2020.

The announcement took South Africans by surprise as there had been no hints that Nienaber was planning to leave one of the most prestigious posts in world rugby.

All 14 post-apartheid Springbok coaches have been South African, starting with a short, unsuccessful stay by John Williams in 1992.

Several South African Rugby Union insiders told AFP on Sunday that they expected Nienaber to be succeeded by a local.

They added that Erasmus, who transformed the Springboks from a laughing stock to 2019 world champions in two seasons, would have a major say in who takes over.

Stick, Davids and Stormers head coach John Dobson were the names repeatedly mentioned by the insiders as the likeliest successors.

The good work of South African Franco Smith in revitalising the Glasgow Warriors was noted, with some believing he could become part of a future team, but not as head coach.

Hiring a non-South African like recently dismissed Australia coach Dave Rennie or former Ireland star Ronan O'Gara, a Champions Cup winner with La Rochelle, was considered "highly unlikely".

THANKLESS TASK

"It will not happen – the next Springboks coach will be a South African," insisted one insider, speaking on condition of anonymity as he is not an official spokesperson.

Should former sevens star Stick, 38, be chosen it would complete an amazing turnaround as he was dumped as a Springbok assistant during the disastrous 2016-2017 stint of Allister Coetzee.

Erasmus recalled him and hailed his contribution after the 2019 World Cup campaign, which culminated in a 20-point final triumph over England in Japan.

After the thankless task of guiding the under-resourced and cash-strapped Southern Kings in Super Rugby, Davids, 55, became part of the Springbok set-up following the last World Cup.

Stick works with the backs and Davids with the forwards and both reportedly have contracts until 2027.

Dobson, 53, has worked wonders at the financially troubled Stormers, highlighted by a United Rugby Championship final victory over the Bulls from Pretoria last season.

"Apart from the Springbok coaches, John is head and shoulders above any other contenders. The Stormers players love him," said an official.

South Africa begin their World Cup countdown in July with Rugby Championship matches against Australia, New Zealand and Argentina, who they meet again in a warm-up match.

The Springboks move to Europe in August for tests against Wales and New Zealand before tackling Scotland in their opening World Cup pool B match on 10 September.

They also play Romania, Ireland and Tonga and the nations finishing first and second in the final standings advance to the quarterfinals.

https://supersport.com/rugby/general/news/148bfdde-378f-4d01-86a7-ba035f45cfb1/stick-or-davids-may-succeed-nienaber-as-springboks-coach

Apparently for Nienaber and Erasmus Springbok rugby is a piggy bank to be used or discarded as their personal needs dictate. Loyalty and ambition for the institution are low on the list.

The day they appoint Stick as head coach is the day I will do a Luke Watson, puke on the springboks jersey. 

Instead, they should just call it the Zumbucks, good line from a Leon Schuster movie. 

But I have a feeling it will be Stick with Rassie pulling the strings. If it implodes, Rassie will bail with Stick holding the baby. He will find another lucrative job either in Japan or France given that he has a World Cup trophy to his name but I’m not sure if his antics over the last few years has helped his cause. He is now persona non grata. 

Really interesting to see Niena finally leaving Rassie shadows. I do think it is best for him to learn what Leinster is doing right. 

But why are we so obsessed with SA coaches. None of them really stack up. What about Joe Schmidt as director of Rugby and Dave Rennie. These guys are amazing coaches and with our player talent they would be able to do amazing work. 

We had Lorry Mains as coach of the cats and he was fantastic only for Rassie to undermine him by taking the forwards aside and having a closed door session. 

Rassie is a flawed genius and people can only tolerate him for so long. 

If it was up to me I would make Nick Mallet the Director of Rugby, Dobbo head coach. Swys the attacking coach. Keep Nienaber in SA as defence and Proudfoot as our scrum coach or be really brave and bring the Kiwis in. 

Jake had his time and Rassie is trouble. 

More drama incoming.

Rassie is a nutter. And despite the unctuous delivery, not a nice n utter. Nienaber is a mystery. All we see is the puppet. What he really thinks of Rassie’s antics remains a mystery.

But the point is….this is a very unsettling start to our WC defense.

Totally get that likely reason for his exit.

...cut them wee slack...they've won the previous one....

The Boks played their best rugby in 2021 when Erasputin wasn't present. Erasputin has no record of coaching. Without Nienaber, there is literally no Erasputin at all. A man who uses others to promote himself. A mediocre coach, and man. Ende. 

Actually Dave he has been  a Head Coach for 2 full years. I exclude the Covid year. 

Jared Wright wrote: “The hate for Nienaber will be rife today, but he was just as important as Rassie in 2019. He is a MASSIVE blow to SA Rugby, without a doubt. He has done a superb job, IMO, especially considering he lost an entire Test season with the Boks. Leinster are big winners here.”

So now we have three coaches going to the 2023WC with little or NO successful experience at the international level of the game.

Then we have a Captain who makes the squad because.........

Fear not we have Rassie to save the day and bring home the Ellis Rugby 2023 World Cup.

Sounds like some folks believe that the teams at the WC are all going to crumble under the Springbok forwards and their exceptional rugby skills.

Sounds like a dream to me.

I for one have betted against them retaining the WC.

France and Ireland are the two better teams going to the WC and never forget the AB's.