Nienaber: Flannery understands the Springbok environment
NEW defence coach Jerry Flannery actually spent time with the Springboks last year, and his arrival in the world champions’ camp won’t be too much of a disruption.
That was the view of former Bok head coach Jacques Nienaber, who left the South African team for Irish province Leinster after the triumphant 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign.
Former Ireland hooker Flannery was officially announced as a member of the Bok management last week – along with former All Black flyhalf Tony Brown, who will be responsible for the attack.
Flannery – who earned 41 Test caps for Ireland between 2005 and 2011 – is well known to Nienaber and Bok boss Rassie Erasmus, having worked with them as a scrum coach and later forwards coach at Munster in 2016, before the two South African mentors headed home to take charge of the Boks in 2018.
The 45-year-old former front-rower moved on to English club Harlequins in 2020 as a line-out coach, before eventually becoming their defence coach.
Now he will wrap up his time in England at the end of the month before joining the Boks ahead of a busy international season, which includes a two-Test series against Ireland in July, as well as two home Rugby Championship games against the All Blacks.
“Obviously, he would be very familiar with the way that Rassie would do stuff, because it will be very similar to how we did things when we were at Munster,” Nienaber was reported as saying by the Irish Examiner during a Leinster media conference this week.
“Jerry actually spent some time with us in the World Cup preparation.
“I think he was there a week or two with the Boks. He understands how the environment operates, and the players would know him.
“He actually helped us a little bit with the hookers. He added value with the line-out throws, him being an international hooker himself, just adding things that he saw – and I’m not saying it took over from there and all that, but it just added value.
“I think it’s a good opportunity for Jerry, and I think he will be good for the Boks.
“When we did our club visits of the abroad players, Harlequins (where Bok centre André Esterhuizen plays) was one of the clubs that we visited.
“They were always open to us being there, watching their training sessions, watching their gym sessions, being in their team meetings.
“Obviously, I saw a lot of Jerry’s work as a defence coach there, and I think he will be a good fit for South Africa.”
Flannery and Brown will be introduced to the South African rugby media at a media conference in Cape Town on March 12, where Erasmus and SA Rugby management will be in attendance.
The first Bok Test against Ireland is scheduled for July 6 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, with Kings Park in Durban hosting the second encounter.