Johan Ackermann

{{Short description|South African rugby union coach (born 1970)}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Johan Ackermann

| image =

| fullname = Johannes Nicolaas Ackermann

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|06|03|df=y}}

| birth_place = Benoni, South Africa

| height = {{height|m=1.96}}

| weight = {{convert|115|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}

| occupation =

| school = Hoërskool Brandwag

| university =

| relatives = Ruan Ackermann (son)

| position = Lock

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1995–1996

| clubs1 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}

| apps1 = 45

| points1 = 15

| years2 = 1996

| clubs2 = {{Rut|Bulls}}

| apps2 = 12

| points2 = 0

| years3 = 1999–2001

| clubs3 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}}

| apps3 = 31

| points3 = 20

| years4 = 2000–2001

| clubs4 = {{Rut|Cats}}

| apps4 = 24

| points4 = 0

| years5 = 2001–2002

| clubs5 = Northampton Saints

| apps5 = 4

| points5 = 0

| years6 = 2003–2005

| clubs6 = {{Rut|Griquas}}

| apps6 = 32

| points6 = 5

| years7 = 2004–2008

| clubs7 = {{Rut|Sharks}}

| apps7 = 27

| points7 = 10

| years8 = 2006–2007

| clubs8 = {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)|CC=y}}

| apps8 = 12

| points8 = 10

| repyears1 = 1996–2007

| repteam1 = {{nrut|South Africa}}

| repcaps1 = 13

| reppoints1 = 0

| coachyears1 = 2013–2016

| coachteams1 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}}

| coachyears2 = 2013–2017

| coachteams2 = {{Rut|Lions}}

| coachyears3 = 2017–2020

| coachteams3 = Gloucester

| coachyears4 = 2020–2022

| coachteams4 = Red Hurricanes

| coachyears5 = 2023–

| coachteams5 = Urayasu D-Rocks

| clubupdate = 25 June 2014

| repupdate = 25 June 2014

}}

Johannes Nicolaas 'Johan' Ackermann (born 3 June 1970) is a South African professional rugby union coach and former player. He played as a lock during his playing career between 1995 and 2007. He is currently the head coach at Urayasu D-Rocks.

Playing career

In 2007, Ackermann became the oldest Springbok to play for the national side, at the age of 37. After the 2007 World Cup in France, he was recalled to the Springbok squad to play against the Barbarians. This was his last outing as an international player.{{fact|date=September 2024}}

Ackermann bowed out of professional rugby on a winning note on 1 March 2008, when the Sharks defeated the Bulls 29-15 at Loftus Versfeld. He became the oldest player ever in Super Rugby history at age {{age in years and days|1970|6|3|2008|3|1}}.{{fact|date=September 2024}}

Coaching career

Ackermann was the forwards coach of the Lions in Super Rugby under head coach John Mitchell, but after Mitchell left the Union, he took over. He has seen success as coach of the Union including winning the SARU Coach of the Year award in 2014, his first year as head coach. He took over as head coach of the Lions Super Rugby and the Golden Lions Currie Cup sides in 2013.{{fact|date=September 2024}}

He was appointed as the head coach of English Premiership side Gloucester prior to the 2017–18 season.{{cite press release|url=http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/news/13712.php |title=Johan Ackermann named as Gloucester Rugby Head Coach |publisher=Gloucester Rugby |date=3 April 2017 |access-date=3 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403091003/http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/news/13712.php |archive-date= 3 April 2017 |url-status=live }}

He left Gloucester at the end of June 2020 to become head coach at Japanese side Red Hurricanes{{Cite news|date=2020-05-15|title=Johan Ackermann: Gloucester head coach leaves to join Red Hurricanes|language=en-gb|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/52673923|access-date=2020-05-15}} He was replaced at Gloucester by George Skivington.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-27|title=Gloucester Rugby announce the appointment of George Skivington as Head Coach|url=https://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/2020/06/27/gloucester-rugby-announce-the-appointment-of-george-skivington-as-head-coach/|access-date=2020-06-27|website=Gloucester Rugby|language=en-US|archive-date=5 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200905045139/https://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/2020/06/27/gloucester-rugby-announce-the-appointment-of-george-skivington-as-head-coach/|url-status=dead}}

Personal

Ackerman is married, with two sons and a daughter.{{Cite web|last=Iles|first=Robert|date=2018-08-18|title=Johan Ackermann on one year at Gloucester and feeling at 'Holm|url=https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/one-year-johan-ackermann-gloucester-1899325|access-date=2021-07-24|website=GloucestershireLive|language=en}} He is a strong Christian.{{Cite web|date=2017-11-01|title=Gloucester hoping Johan Ackermann can work another miracle {{!}} The Breakdown|url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/nov/01/gloucester-johan-ackermann-the-breakdown|access-date=2021-07-24|website=the Guardian|language=en}}

References

External links

{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=18148 | name=Johan Ackermann | date=10 March 2016}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20071006083937/http://www.sharksrugby.co.za/default.asp?Id=13908&des=content Sharks profile]

Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:Afrikaner people

Category:Blue Bulls players

Category:Bulls (rugby union) players

Category:Doping cases in rugby union

Category:Golden Lions players

Category:Griquas (rugby union) players

Category:Lions (United Rugby Championship) players

Category:Rugby union locks

Category:Rugby union players from Benoni

Category:Sharks (Currie Cup) players