**Jacques Nienaber, the former defensive mastermind behind the Springboks' recent World Cup victories and now senior coach at Leinster, has made his preferences clear when it comes to tackling techniques and shared his predictions for the upcoming fiery derby against Munster. After stepping away from the international scene, Nienaber has brought his expertise to Leinster, where he's contracted until 2027, though whispers suggest a potential return to the Springboks looms on the horizon.**
Nienaber's tenure at Leinster has been marked by a dedication to safety and technique, particularly in tackling. "I am definitely much more old school around the ankles. That is definite. It is safer as a player," Nienaber stated, emphasizing the importance of player safety over more risky, dominant tackles. He added, "You want players to be safe as Leinster players, but you also want the younger players, who some of our players would be role models to, they must see a safe, well-executed, low tackle technique, and their moms and their parents must see it and encourage them to play rugby."
"Dominant tackles are important, but a good, low leg chop is a thing of beauty, and it’s safe if you can execute it well."
Despite a rocky start to the season with three losses out of four in the URC, Leinster has shown signs of recovery. However, their performance has been inconsistent at best, raising questions about their ability to return to the dominant form that once influenced British and Irish Lions squad selections. Their next challenge is a trip to Thomond Park to face a Munster team that dealt them a significant defeat earlier in the season at Croke Park.
The anticipation for the match is high, with Nienaber cautious yet hopeful about Leinster's prospects. "It will be tough. To go down to Thomond Park play in the Christmas game there, it’s a tough place to go and get a result," he acknowledged. The Munster team, only having lost once this season to the currently unbeaten Stormers, will not be easy opponents. "They are playing good rugby, so it will be a tough game for us at Thomond Park. It will be a grind," Nienaber predicted, setting expectations for a fiercely contested match.
"I don’t expect anything less than that. It will be a tough game."
Nienaber's focus is not just on overcoming Munster but also on internal improvements, stressing discipline and accuracy. "We are working hard to make sure that we are more accurate, and we are more disciplined," he remarked, reflecting on recent discussions within the team aimed at correcting their shortcomings. With a mindset geared towards building momentum through meticulous preparation and critical self-assessment, Nienaber and his Leinster squad are poised to make their mark in the URC, one tackle and one game at a time.
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**Jacques Nienaber, the former defensive mastermind behind the Springboks' recent World Cup victories and now senior coach at Leinster, has made his preferences clear when it comes to tackling techniques and shared his predictions for the upcoming fiery derby against Munster. After stepping away from the international scene, Nienaber has brought his expertise to Leinster, where he's contracted until 2027, though whispers suggest a potential return to the Springboks looms on the horizon.**
Nienaber's tenure at Leinster has been marked by a dedication to safety and technique, particularly in tackling. "I am definitely much more old school around the ankles. That is definite. It is safer as a player," Nienaber stated, emphasizing the importance of player safety over more risky, dominant tackles. He added, "You want players to be safe as Leinster players, but you also want the younger players, who some of our players would be role models to, they must see a safe, well-executed, low tackle technique, and their moms and their parents must see it and encourage them to play rugby."
"Dominant tackles are important, but a good, low leg chop is a thing of beauty, and it’s safe if you can execute it well."
Despite a rocky start to the season with three losses out of four in the URC, Leinster has shown signs of recovery. However, their performance has been inconsistent at best, raising questions about their ability to return to the dominant form that once influenced British and Irish Lions squad selections. Their next challenge is a trip to Thomond Park to face a Munster team that dealt them a significant defeat earlier in the season at Croke Park.
The anticipation for the match is high, with Nienaber cautious yet hopeful about Leinster's prospects. "It will be tough. To go down to Thomond Park play in the Christmas game there, it’s a tough place to go and get a result," he acknowledged. The Munster team, only having lost once this season to the currently unbeaten Stormers, will not be easy opponents. "They are playing good rugby, so it will be a tough game for us at Thomond Park. It will be a grind," Nienaber predicted, setting expectations for a fiercely contested match.
"I don’t expect anything less than that. It will be a tough game."
Nienaber's focus is not just on overcoming Munster but also on internal improvements, stressing discipline and accuracy. "We are working hard to make sure that we are more accurate, and we are more disciplined," he remarked, reflecting on recent discussions within the team aimed at correcting their shortcomings. With a mindset geared towards building momentum through meticulous preparation and critical self-assessment, Nienaber and his Leinster squad are poised to make their mark in the URC, one tackle and one game at a time.