South Africa's New Coach Changes Nothing

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Jacques on the right with the Webb Ellis Trophy (World Cup)

Jacques Nienaber has been confirmed as the South African head coach yet he has never coached a side before. Most people would probably raise their eyebrows at this appointment, but it does make sense to some degree.

What we know is that Jacques has been a long time confident of Rassie Erasmus following him around to all his previous teams he has coached.He went to the same school as Rassie so there is a bond and someone who he can relate to on so many different levels.

Jacques is a trained physiotherapist and joined the Cheetahs rugby team when Rassie Erasmus was their coach. He is a conditioning coach and has learned the skills to be a top defensive coach over time. This was a role he took over whilst at the Cheetahs as well.

Rassie Erasmus moved to cape town and Jacques was appointed the defensive coach of the Stormers as well plus a coach on the South African Mobile Unit which did specialist training on coaches and players. He moved to Munster in Ireland when Rassie moved there as well also as their defensive coach.
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Out Whiskey tasting. Rassie on the far left and Jacques in the middle.

He has been on the inner circle for over 20 years alongside Rassie so he knows what is going on regarding a head coaching role. His role will be the everyday duties preparing the team for the matches that lie ahead. I can tell you now nothing is going to change as whatever Rassie has initiated will remain.

Rassie is the Director of South African Rugby which means he will be with the team a majority of his time including being alongside Jacques on match days. What Jacques is really doing from what I can gather is babysitting for Rassie making sure the standards are maintained.

There would have been a risk of appointing a new coach from outside the inner circle but then he wouldn't be happy taking orders from Rassie as whose team is it really and who makes the major calls. Nothing has changed except a second in charge has been given the reigns in name only and Rassie calls all the shots.

This is what few would have expected when Rassie announced his retirement from the role after the World Cup as why retire if you are still doing the job anyway. Possibly it is a way of saying thank you to a close friend and ally for supporting him over all these years.

Rassie is hands on and there is no ways he won't step away from the training pitch any time soon especially with the British and Irish Lions set to arrive later this year. When the two of them are together they bring success as they have proved with the Free State Cheetahs,Western province ,Munster and now South Africa and it won't change anytime soon.



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