Gordon D'Arcy believes Jacques Nienaber will shake up Leinster Rugby when he joins the province after the Rugby World Cup.
The Blues dropped a bombshell on Saturday when they announced that South Africa's head coach will be moving to Dublin in October to replace Stuart Lancaster, who is taking over as Racing 92's head coach in the summer.
Former Leinster star D'Arcy was initially dubious over the decision to move for Nienaber, who was a defence coach with Munster before moving to the Springboks with Rassie Erasmus.
READ MORE: South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber to join Leinster after World Cup
On reflection, however, he feels that it could be just what Leinster need in the wake of Lancaster's departure.
"With Nienaber coming in, it is a really smart appointment," D'Arcy said.
"It is probably one that I didn’t understand at first, why the head coach of South Africa would want to come into Leinster, but now as it has settled it just seems like a really good appointment.
"It gets him coaching in Ireland which is the top-ranked country in the world and the Irish system is very good and very appealing for the outside looking in.
"People would want to have a look in and see what they can learn so from Nienaber’s point of view he is thinking that it would be very challenging.
"What he brings is a different perspective, a different way of playing rugby.
"The danger of having a confirmation bias in a coaching structure is always there where you have so many like-minded people.
"Nienaber brings an almost antagonistic viewpoint into the Leinster system.
"He has been in World Cup finals, he has been defensive coach, he will bring a different viewpoint and that will add an awful lot to the Leinster coaching ticket.”
D'Arcy has listened to the arguments over Leinster having a demographic and financial advantage but he points to how the Blues have struggled to get over the line in the URC and Champions Cup in recent times.
“Leinster have been very dominant the last 24 months in the regular season but they weren’t in the final last year so it is important to contextualise that," said D'Arcy, speaking on a media call for the BKT United Rugby Championship.
"A South African team won the URC last year.
"There is no point in flattering to deceive in the regular season. It’s great that they are competing in the two fronts but they need to deliver the end product and that is probably something that they haven’t been able to do, in a number of finals, in recent years.
"They have only one Champions Cup in the last 10 years and not featuring in the (URC) final last year, it is the next level for this team.”
Former Springboks star Victor Matfield is supportive of the move for Nienaber, who helped Erasmus to guide South Africa to World Cup glory in Japan four years ago.
“I think it was Jake White who said that any coach is waiting to get fired at some stage," said Matfield.
"You have to manage your own career very well. Jacques has won a World Cup with South Africa and he has been very successful with Munster - but if there is one system where he can grow as a coach I think it will be in the Leinster system.
"On the other side then, you ask why would Leinster bring a South African into that environment - it’s what Gordon said, they dominated last year but didn’t win a trophy.
"Ireland has never won a World Cup. What do you need? Jacques understands how to win World Cups and big games and that is a mentality that can make Leinster more powerful.”
And D'Arcy added: You have to take costs away. If he wanted to go to other provinces, then sure they would have found cash for him.
“He didn’t apply for the job. Leo has gone on record and said that he actively sought him out and had a couple of chats maybe with Felix Jones, maybe sounded him out to see what this guy is like.
"Leinster have financial clout, that’s without doubt, but that doesn’t guarantee you success or a strong culture or that coaches or players want to be there.
"So Leinster have something that is very different from the outside and Nienaber is very interested in that and wants to challenge himself as a coach.
"It’s not a one-way street either. It comes with an awful lot of pressure and expectation for him because they will want to see immediate impact from what he can do.
"Good coaches back themselves and that is what he will do.”
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