LEINSTER HEAD COACH had admitted he has huge respect for incoming coach Jacques Nienaber.
Nienaber will replace Racing 92-bound Stuart Lancaster next year.
The South African served as an assistant coach at the 2011 and 2019 Rugby World Cups before stepping into the head coach role in 2020. He also coached the side to a 2-1 series victory over the British and Irish Lions in 2021.
Speaking after Leinster's win over the Emirates Lions last weekend, Cullen said: “We admire greatly what Jacques has done, we are aware of Jacques through his time at Munster originally and back with the Springboks, going on to win the World Cup,” the Leinster coach said on Saturday.
📢 | Leinster Rugby can confirm that current South Africa Head Coach, Jacques Nienaber, will join the club after the Rugby World Cup later this year.
Read the full story: https://t.co/Q5noIhG5Gt#FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/7pJdIKztiX— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) April 15, 2023
“Jacques is someone I have always admired, a great coach, and all the feedback I have heard on him as a coach is outstanding. Great coach and a man as well, the man part is the thing that I’m most attracted to, we want great characters in our group.
“He’s someone who has delivered at the highest level of the game, it’s a fantastic appointment for us as a club because of the experience that he has.
“I have a huge amount of respect for what the Springboks have achieved in recent years, the World Cup in 2019 and the Lions tour with Jacques in the head coach role. We are delighted to secure his signature post World Cup,” he said.
Before that Leinster will play the Bulls this coming Saturday in the final game of the United Rugby Championsip.
They will then Toulouse the week after.
