[3] When the Free State Cheetahs were formally included as part of the Cats Super 12 franchise for the 1998 season, Nienaber also held the same role for them.
Nienaber's record as a defence coach was noted by the South African national team, and was approached to join their staff, but the move was blocked by his existing employers.
[7] The Stormers missed out on the 2013 Super Rugby play-offs despite having the best defensive record, while Western Province reached the 2013 Currie Cup final, which they lost to the Sharks.
The Stormers endured a very poor season in 2014, finishing 11th, but Western Province won the 2014 Currie Cup final, their second during Nienaber's time at the team.
Erasmus was subsequently called upon in 2018 to steady the ship as the Springboks endured a poor run of form under coach Allister Coetzee, but he always made it clear that he was not interested in the job long-term.
[citation needed] In January 2020, Nienaber was announced as the new head coach of the Springboks and handed the keys to a World Champion squad.
He would have to wait a full year due to the Covid-19 pandemic before finally fielding his first team against Georgia on 2 July 2021 ahead of the 2021 British and Irish Lions series.