Jacques Nienaber and RG Snyman have been at the heart of Leinster’s stunning last fortnight in the Champions Cup. Elsewhere in the rugby world, South Africa’s World Cup-winning Boks are also setting the standard, especially in Japan’s League 1.
Nienaber, who joined Irish giants Leinster a year ago, has instilled a defensive hunger in the Irish internationally-laden Leinster squad that is the equal of their appetite on attack.
When you think of the greatest club teams in the last decade, Leinster, Toulouse and the Crusaders dominate a podium made for just three places.
Leinster, with director of rugby Leo Cullen at the helm, have been very good, but Nienaber’s introduction into the coaching unit has turned the very good into the exceptional.
There has been criticism of Nienaber within the Irish rugby landscape, most prominently from Ireland’s iconic centre and former captain Brian O’Driscoll.
O’Driscoll — his status at Leinster every bit as big as it was in the national side — was vocal in blaming Nienaber’s presence at Leinster for the misfiring Leinster players who make up the bulk of the Irish match day 23.
Consistent way of playing
O’Driscoll felt that Neinaber’s approach may work for Leinster but it was not necessarily the best thing for players used to a consistent style and way of playing — be it for Leinster or for Ireland.
His outspoken view is being drummed out each time Leinster do the dirty on quality opponents, as they have done in the last 16 and quarterfinals of the Champions Cup.
Leinster, a fortnight ago, humiliated London’s Harlequins 62-0 in the last 16 and backed it up on Friday night with a 52-0 win against the in-form Glasgow Warriors.
Home ground advantage is a factor, but ordinarily it should not be worth 50-plus points against a team second in the United Rugby Championship (URC) — and one loaded with Scottish internationals and coached by the very astute Franco Smith.
You have to dislike success and the boys in blue if you cannot simply stand up and applaud the performance of the last two matches, more so because this blend of attack and unrelenting suffocating defence came in the knockout stages of the competition.
Leinster, before this season’s campaign, lost three successive Champions Cup finals, all to French teams, and they lost three successive URC semifinals, two of them at home and one in Pretoria against the Bulls.
Nienaber’s influence is showing and he has provided a coaching edge that is the difference between settling for silver or winning gold.
Mixed bag of kids and veterans
It would take something very freakish, like a few red cards, to beat Leinster in either competition. They are currently very good when at full-strength, and better than most when playing a mixed bag of kids and veterans.
Any neutral and lover of the game would have been enthralled watching them dismantle a Warriors outfit that is a damn good one. Smith, in the aftermath of his team’s 52-0 drubbing, was awed by Leinster.
His team tried and they were switched on, but they were blown off the park with the tempo of the Leinster attack and the unrelenting defensive line speed. The cleanouts at the breakdown were blitzes and Jameson Gibson-Park at scrumhalf was supreme with such front foot dominance.
Snyman’s performances since joining Leinster have also been a godsend for the Springboks. Snyman, who experienced a horror run of injuries when at Munster, has played 19 matches this season, three for the Boks last November and 16 for Leinster.
He has played at 4 & 5 lock, started 10 of 19, averaged 52 minutes a game and, most pertinently, started in the Champions Cup play-off matches. His offloading game is unrivalled, and his set-piece contribution has been immense.
“The Viking”, as he is affectionately named, has given the team horns all season and within a year has become a cult-like figure at Leinster.
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