Former Springbok captain John Smit has left the door open to Jacques Nienaber returning to the South African coaching set-up under Rassie Erasmus, despite the defence guru's ongoing tenure at Leinster.
Nienaber joined the Irish province following the 2023 Rugby World Cup but raised eyebrows earlier this season when he stated he did not feel "valued" at the club. Though Leinster went on to lift the United Rugby Championship title, speculation about his future has persisted.
Speaking on The Rugby Pod, Smit dismissed suggestions that Nienaber's move to Dublin was part of an elaborate espionage operation. "South African fans are probably the greatest conspiracy theorists of all time," Smit said. "What you have to realise is Rassie and Jacques started together a long, long time ago with Jacques being the physio and they've had a huge history together."
Smit acknowledged that whilst he had heard nothing official, a reunion remained within the realm of possibility. "Have I heard anything officially about it? No. Is it completely out of the question? No. I think it will depend," he said.
Nienaber has faced criticism in Ireland for Leinster's failure to secure the Investec Champions Cup, a factor Smit suggested may have contributed to his reported unhappiness. "Unless he's winning trophies, he's having a pretty hard time from the locals," Smit observed. "That just seems to be the way it is. Now he wins a trophy and he hasn't been mocked in the media for the last couple of weeks."