Jacques Nienaber has moved swiftly to douse fresh speculation about a possible Springbok return, saying his viral “miss the Boks” comment was lifted completely out of context.

The former Bok boss – now firmly embedded in life at Leinster – told Irish outlet RTÉ that his recent SuperSport interview was being misread as a hint about coming back to South Africa.

“The whole interview was about my time in Leinster,” Nienaber said. “Do yourself the trouble of listening to the whole interview and you’ll see the whole context.”

NIENABER: I miss the Springboks

He said the now-headline-grabbing line about missing the Springboks was a tiny fragment of a broader explanation.

“Then I said that it’s not to say that because I enjoy Leinster that I don’t enjoy South Africa or I don’t love the Springboks. I still love the Springboks and I enjoyed my time there,” he explained.

“It doesn’t sound like because I enjoy it here, I dislike what I did there. That was the whole thing, that was the comment. I get used to it now, people just taking the ‘I really love the Springboks’ line and they just go onto that.”

Nienaber doubled down on the reality: he’s settled in Dublin, he’s happy at the club, and his future is tied to a clear timeline.

“You start making friends in Ireland that you can actually go on holiday with … We really enjoy Dublin and the club. I enjoy working with the players and there is a lot of stimulation.

“I said my contract with Leinster is until the end of the 2027 season. That’s when my contract finishes and that is a fact. It’s common knowledge … everybody knows that.”

As for life after 2027, he said it will come down to family needs and practical realities.

“I can’t tell you what happens then … I’m the sole provider of my family. My wife is not working. She can’t work as a physio in Ireland because there are enough physios here. It’s on the red list,” he added.

“My two kids are studying … so I must get a job. So hopefully I get a job after my contract expires with Leinster. Whatever then is up that’s the best for me to provide for my family and suits my family, I will definitely look at that.”

🗣️ “I am the sole provider for my family!”

🗣️ “Hopefully I get a job after my contract expires with Leinster”

Leinster coach, Jacques Nienaber, clarifies his comments made during a interview with SuperSport, after they caused some controversy amongst media and fans. #Rugby on… pic.twitter.com/R3W1Pmizp9

— Off The Ball (@offtheball) December 1, 2025

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