Leinster coach Jacques Nienaber exploits loophole to be a water boy in Champions Cup final

Jacques Nienaber reprised the Springboks’ water boy tactics during the Champions Cup final for Leinster against Toulouse.

After winning back-to-back World Cups with South Africa, Nienaber joined Leinster as senior coach this season under Leo Cullen and appears to have brought over some of the Springboks’ dark arts by appearing as a water boy in the second half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks director of rugby, controversially filled that role during the 2-1 series win over the Lions in 2021, which was questioned by both Lions coach Warren Gatland and refereeing chiefs.

The Lions privately believed that Erasmus was using his role to intimidate the officials as the Springboks started getting the rub of the green in a series of contentious decisions. After the Lions defeated South ‘A’ in which Erasmus was also the water carrier, Gatland said: “Last night he is a water boy and running on the pitch. I think if you are the water boy carrier running onto the pitch you have got to make sure you are carrying water.

“I didn’t understand what his role was. You don’t run onto the pitch giving messages and stuff if you are the water boy without carrying the water. My advice is to make sure he is carrying water the next time he does that.”

In 2022, World Rugby issued an edict stating that “water carriers cannot be a director of rugby or head coach”.

However, it appears that Nienaber has spotted a loophole with his job title being that of senior coach rather than head coach. When he first came out in that capacity, he was engaged in a long discussion with officials from European Professional Club Rugby, the tournament organisers, but they allowed him to stay on the pitch.

During a lengthy stoppage in the second half, he appeared to provide a mini team talk to Leinster players in a huddle.

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