Despite stepping down in style by leading South African to back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles, coach Jacques Nienaber says he will never walk away from the Springboks.
Nienaber had already announced that the World Cup in France would be his last assignment as Springboks coach. He is set to joining Irish giants Leinster in the coming weeks.
After euphoric scenes on a rainy day at the OR Tambo International Airport, where they were given a hero’s welcome on Tuesday, Nienaber said he hopes one day he will be back within the Boks structures.
“I don’t think I’m walking away. I’ll never walk away from the Springboks. The Springboks have given me everything,” Nienaber told the media.
“I would have been a physio in Bloemfontein if senior leaders like our president Mr [Mark] Alexander and Rassie [Erasmus] hadn’t backed me. You need people to back and believe in you.
“I would love to have been a fly on the wall when Rassie said, ‘Listen guys I believe this physio/defence coach is good enough to be a head coach, even though he hasn’t been one before’.
“It’s obviously nice that I’m moving onto the next chapter for a couple of years. And nobody knows how it’s going to go. But you never know, hopefully I will be back.”
Emotional tribute by Kolisi
After their monumental final win over the All Blacks, captain Siya Kolisi paid an emotional tribute to Nienaber.
“Jacques, honestly, it’s been a huge honour for me and a huge privilege. To you and your wife and the kids, I appreciate you,” Kolisi said.
“We love you as a team, not as a coach, but as a person. You’ve taken it to another level. The way you speak to us – it’s not ‘make a big hit, make a tackle’, you talk to me as a person, as a father, a husband, as a son, it goes such a long way so thank you.
“We honour you as a team. All the best. They will be lucky to have you wherever you go.”
