Stormers director of rugby John Dobson has thrown his support behind under-fire Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber, urging local fans to “appreciate what you’ve got”.
The teams meet in a Vodacom URC semi-final at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, with a lot of negative noise around the Irish side.
Leinster are defending URC champions but Nienaber and Leinster head coach Leo Cullen have faced increased criticism following another failure to add to their tally of Investec Champions Cup titles.
Nienaber even went as far as to say this week that he does not feel valued in his role at Leinster.
NIENABER: People don’t value me here
“I can’t comprehend it,” Dobson said on Friday. “We worked with Jacques at the Stormers and some of the guys have played for him.
“He is a brilliant coach, hard-working, conveys well, is energetic and has an amazing work ethic.
“I think the Leinster appointment was really clever because they had this really good phase attack but were coming short in one or two big games.
“There’s the world’s best defensive coach, get him in and credit to Leinster for thinking like that. They wanted to challenge themselves.
“I don’t think the people here appreciate what they’ve got,” he added. “In Leo Cullen you’ve got a coach who’s grown up at the club, loves the club, played for the club, and you’ve got a guy who has won two World Cups.
“So to criticise him, I don’t understand it.”
CULLEN: We’re very lucky to have Jacques
Dobson pointed to the phenomenal success of Irish rugby in recent times.
“Ten to 15 years ago Irish rugby wasn’t taken seriously. Now it’s one of the most respected rugby countries in the world.
“My message would be simple: appreciate what you’ve got.”
All four URC semi-finalists feature significant South African coaching involvement, something Dobson believes reflects the strength of the local game.
“It’s brilliant for South African rugby,” he said. “A few years ago, if you wanted to be a coach anywhere in the world, you almost needed a New Zealand accent.
“Now there’s real respect for South African rugby, thanks to the success of the national team and the clubs. Our players are in demand around the world and our coaches are coaching at the highest level.
“I think South African rugby is in the best place it has ever been. There’s genuine respect for what we do and how we coach the game.”
MORE: Stormers look to break down Leinster ‘machinery’
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post Dobbo comes out in defence of Jacques appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson has thrown his support behind under-fire Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber, urging local fans to “appreciate what you’ve got”.
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