Ex-Leinster stalwart says Jacques Nienaber a major boost for club: 'One of the best defence coaches'

Jacques Nienaber could provide the spark Leinster had been lacking for the past two seasons.

That is the view of former Leinster hooker Bernard Jackman, who played 91 games for the Irish club between 2005 and 2010. 

Nienaber, the current Springbok head coach, will join Leinster as senior coach after the conclusion of this year's Rugby World Cup.

He will replace Stuart Lancaster, who has departed the province to take up a role with French club Racing 92.

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Leinster dominated in the URC and Champions Cup tournaments over the past two seasons, but failed to win any silverware.

They lost home URC semi-finals for back-to-back seasons and also lost twice to La Rochelle in the Champions Cup final.

Jackman, though, reckons that could change next season with the South African on board.

"Jacques Nienaber is one of the best defence coaches in the world and understands the Irish system but also the Irish players' mentality having spent time in Munster with Rassie Erasmus," Jackman wrote in his column for the Irish Independent.

"He will add something new to the team on and off the field, and their defence can be better for sure.

"It rarely gets exposed, to be fair, but as teams look to copy others that have beaten them by keeping the ball, it's important to be even more destructive in defence and to use it as a weapon.

"Nienaber's system is high-risk, high-reward and he seems to have an exceptional ability to coach it. All the South African teams try and use a similar system, but no one implements it like he does.

"Nienaber's defence works well in part because the overall game plan is very much aligned with defence."

Before he joins Leinster, Nienaber's focus will be on