Jacques Nienaber says that quotes attributed to him about missing working with South Africa were taken out of context, and that he is happy to be involved with Leinster Rugby.
Nienaber was part of the Spingboks management team when they landed the World Cup in 2019 before taking the job of head coach ahead of them repeating the feat four years later.
At the next running of the international game's biggest tournament in 2027, the draw for which is due to take place on Wednesday morning, South Africa will have the chance to create history by becoming the first team to win three World Cups in a row.
Nienaber has been working with Leinster for two years and his contract is set to run until the end of next season, in the late spring of 2027.
Rumours began to swirl, however, about a return to his native country after an interview emerged with South African TV company SuperSport ahead of the world champions' clash with Ireland in Dublin last month, a game that South Africa won relatively comfortably in the end.
"I miss the Springboks. I really miss the group, and one never knows," he was widely reported to have said during an interview.
Speaking on Monday as Leinster began preparations for Saturday's Investec Champions Cup clash with Harlequins, he dismissed the idea that he was preparing to work with the Springboks set up once more.
"The whole interview was about my time in Leinster," he began.
"Do yourself the trouble of listening to the whole interview and you'll see the whole context. I'm starting my third year [and] at the end of your first year, you're starting making friends with your neighbours.
"You start making friends in Ireland that you can actually go on holiday with. That's where we are as a family and we really enjoy it. My daughter is over on summer holidays, my son has one more subject (exam) and then he's joining.
"We're getting the family together over Christmas time and we really enjoy Dublin and the club. I enjoy working with the players and there is a lot of stimulation.
"Then I said that it's not to say that because I enjoy Leinster that I don't enjoy South Africa or I don't love the Springboks. I still love the Springboks and I enjoyed my time there.
"It doesn't sound like because I enjoy it here, I dislike what I did there. That was the whole thing, that was the comment.
"I get used to it now, people just taking the 'I really love the Springboks' (line) and they just go onto that."
Nienaber worked alongside current South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus at Munster from 2016 to December 2017.
During that period, the unexpected death of Anthony Foley took place, an event which the now Leinster defence coach says gave him a different perspective on life.
"The passing away of Axel taught me the lesson that you can't plan too much in the future," he continued
"We came over here in 2016, myself and Rassie. You only have now. When Axel passed away it it hit me like a tonne of bricks in the face - you only have now.
"When the opportunity came, and they asked us to go back to South Africa, we thought we're only going to go back for [2017] if we're good enough and coaching well enough and there's opportunity.
"You think you plan your life and it's going to be perfect - 'I'm going to do this at that age and then I want to be there' - but then life happens, reality hits you.
"Somebody at the age of 42 passes away next to you the day before a game and then you know you've only got now so you can't plan what will happen in the future."
Pushed on whether he had no intention of a return to South Africa in 2027, Nienaber added: "I said my contract with Leinster is until the end of the 2027 season. That's when my contract finishes and that is a fact. It's common knowledge, it's in the public domain, everybody knows that.
"I can't tell you what happens then, that is what I said. I can't tell you what's going to happen after that.
"I'm the sole provider of my family. If my contract expires with Leinster - which I enjoy working with, which I love, that's why I extended my contract - but if my contract finishes in June or July 2027, whatever then is up (available) that's the best for me to provide for my family and suits my family, I will definitely look at that.
"Because I have to provide for my family. There's nobody else that provides for my family. My wife is not working. She can't work as a physio in Ireland because there are enough physios here. It's on the red list, or whatever they call it. She's a dependent on me.
"My two kids are studying, they're not working, so I must get a job. So hopefully I get a job after my contract expires with Leinster."
