League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Leinster coach Jacques Nienaber.Tom O’Hanlon/INPHO Jacques Nienaber 'I don't think we'll be rugby-ready yet' - Leinster tuning up for latest Champions Cup quest Jacques Nienaber on the province’s European opener in Clermont, and memories of working with Peter O’Mahony at Munster.
6.46am, 13 Oct 2026 Share options JACQUES NIENABER DOESN’T plan on reading Peter O’Mahony’s new book, even if the former Munster captain is quite complimentary of the South African coach within the pages.
Leinster’s assistant coach – who worked with Munster from 2016 to 2017 – admits he’s not a big reader, and is more likely to ‘lap up’ a documentary than pick up a book.
His time with O’Mahony was relatively brief, but enjoyable.
It’s no surprise to hear Nienaber say he loves working with big personalities.
“Very much so, because you have to be on your toes, and not in a negative way.
I mean they demand excellence, they demand performance, which is great, that’s what you want as a coach.
“If you’re an academy player, their need is maybe a little bit different,” he continues.
“Their need is growth, where I would say a more senior player is more strategic.
Nienaber with head coach Leo Cullen during Monday's training session in UCD.Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO “If you’re in a high performance environment, and you want to excel at it, you will be demanding.
The thing is, players like Pete, what can you teach Pete about line-out contesting? Not a lot.
He’s world-class at it.
What can you teach him about a lot of things, he’s world-class at that.
I think for a coach working with players like that, it’s probably facilitating a little bit more.
“Whereas (when) you work with a young player, you’re probably more a director where you give him clear objectives, things to do and then as he gets better and he delivers, you probably go into a phase where you facilitate a little bit more.” Leinster have seen a host of young players gain experience over the opening weeks of the URC season, but Saturday’s home win against Cardiff saw the picture change as a string of internationals came back into the mix.
Advertisement The task at hand intensifies this week as the province returns to Champions Cup action, opening their latest European quest in Clermont at one of the great rugby grounds, the Stade Marcel-Michelin.
Nienaber celebrates his birthday on the Friday night, and ticks off a bucket list ground the following day.
Across the last six seasons Leinster have reached three finals and three semi-finals during a Champions Cup quest which at times, has felt increasingly like a burden.
Nienaber is asked what gives him confidence the club can finally land that fifth European star this season.
He considers his wording, working through the phrasing in Afrikaans and wary of putting out the wrong message in English.
The South African doesn't feel Leinster will be 'rugby-ready' for Clermont on Saturday.Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO “You’re not entitled to go all the way, and nobody is entitled to go all the way, because Leinster have a good squad but so does Bordeaux, so does Toulouse, so does the Bulls.
“I think if you go and you ask a Bulls fan, coach, would he swap for any of Leinster’s players, there’s maybe three, but they’re happy with the squad.
“The same with Bordeaux, if you ask a Bordeaux fan would you take Gibson-Park but then you have to give Lucu to Leinster, they’ll probably say no, or Jalibert and Sam Prendergast, they’ll probably say ‘No, we don’t want Sam Prendergast, we’re happy with Jalibert.’ “So that’s why I say it’s such a great competition with the best players playing against each other.
I don’t think anybody can be confident before the first game that, listen, we’re going to go all the way.
“Everybody’s working extremely hard, and you guys (media) must please help me, that it comes out the right way.
Every club is working extremely hard to go all the way, but nobody sits now currently in a press conference and says, ‘Listen, we’re confident we will go all the way this year.’ “I don’t think there’s a coach thinking that way.” Clermont have six Top 14 games in their legs already, winning just two to sit 11th in the table.
Leinster have just one win from their opening three URC outings, but there were encouraging signs in how a number of young players acquitted themselves over the opening two-game trip to South Africa, before the frontliners delivered some quality moments in a fast start against Cardiff.
Still, Nienaber acknowledges the province could be coming into the first round of Europe a little cold, while highlighting the start of the campaign has....
