Nienaber gives seal of approval to new Bok defence coach Flannery

Former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has given new Bok defence guru Jerry Flannery the thumbs up following the former Irish international’s appointment with the world champions.

Flannery essentially takes over the Bok defence job from Nienaber, who joined Leinster in Ireland after last year’s World Cup triumph by the Boks in France.

Flannery is one of two new additions to the Boks coaching team, the other being former New Zealand Test flyhalf Tony Brown, who’ll help with the Boks’ attacking play over the next four year period. Brown comes into the set-up in place of Felix Jones, who is now with the England national team.

Erasmus knows Flannery well, from their time together at Munster, where the new Bok coach and Nienaber were in charge in 2016 and 2017, prior to their return to South Africa to take up the Bok coaching reins.

‘Understands the environment’

Flannery also spent time with the Boks in the build-up to the 2023 World Cup.

“Jerry would be very familiar with the way that Rassie would do stuff, because it will be very similar to how we did things when we were at Munster,” Nienaber said at a Leinster press conference this week.

“Jerry actually spent some time with us in the World Cup preparation. I think he was there a week or two with the Boks.

“He understands how the environment operates and the players would know him. He won’t be unfamiliar to them. He actually helped us a little bit with the hookers. He added value with the line-out throws, him being an international hooker himself. Just adding things that he saw.”

‘Add value to Boks’

Nienaber added that the appointments of Flannery and Brown would serve the Springboks well, and believes they will not only add value to the Springbok cause, but also help take them to a new level.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for Jerry and I think he will be good for the Boks. I think both of those appointments, him and Tony Brown, are excellent appointments. They will add value to the team. I think he will be a good fit for South Africa.”

Nienaber added that he had seen a lot of Flannery’s work as defence coach and believes he will fit in well.
“When we (the Bok coaches) did our club visits of the abroad players, Harlequins was one of the clubs that we visited. They were always open to us being there, so watching their training sessions, gym sessions, being in their team meetings.

“I saw a lot of Jerry’s work as a defence coach there and I think he will be a good fit for South Africa.”

The Springboks’ home Test schedule for 2024:

July 6: SA vs Ireland (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
July 13: SA vs Ireland (Kings Park, Durban)
July 20: SA vs Portugal (Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein)
August 31: SA vs New Zealand (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
September 7: SA vs New Zealand (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
September 28: SA vs Argentina (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)

With URCSA