Jacques Nienaber: Opponents raised their game against Ireland

Jacques Nienaber knows all about his teams having a target on their back and says that’s perhaps why Ireland didn’t win the Six Nations in the swashbuckling manner many fans have come to expect.

The current Leinster senior coach led the Springboks to the 2019 World Cup and four years later South Africa were crowned champions again after seeing off the best France, England and New Zealand could throw at them in the knockout stages.

Andy Farrell’s Ireland started off the defence of their crown with a stunning demolition job on Les Bleus in Marseille.

They followed up with victories over Italy and Wales without ever reaching similar heights.

Defeat to England followed in round four with Ireland looking out of sorts in London as their shot at an historic double Grand Slam ended.

But they had enough in reserve to get the job done against Scotland on Saturday, albeit after some nervy moments in a 17-13 win.

The suggestion that Ireland may have lacked energy in the final games was put to Nienaber and he had a different theory about expectations around winning teams.

"Sometimes [fans] get in such a habit of winning, I’m talking about the country, not the team or the players, they are so used to Ireland winning that sometimes the way they win is maybe not what they want," said the 51-year-old.

"But they won back-to-back Six Nations. I’m not saying people aren’t celebrating it, I’m just saying the energy levels...teams get themselves up to play against Ireland because they were the top team.

"To win a back-to-back competition like the Six Nations is massive and one must see it for that.

"You are the target, you are the [team] that everyone wants to play against. The opposition can’t wait to play against Ireland."

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