ACKERS RETURNS?
COULD COME BACK HOPING TO PLAY FOR BOKS Loose forward has plenty of experience and will be an asset to any team.
Gloucester-based South African loose-forward Ruan Ackermann looks set to return to his country of birth at the end of the current European season, with a number of local teams seemingly chasing the 28-year-old’s signature.
The son of former Lions boss and Springbok player, Johan Ackermann, has been playing in England for Gloucester since 2017. He joined the team with his father after playing for the Lions previously.
Ackermann has played in well over 100 games for the English club, but having qualified to play for England on residency, without
yet being picked, looks set to return to South Africa in the hope of playing for the Boks.
The Sharks are among the teams rumoured to be interested in signing the flanker and No 8, who can also play lock, but according to some sources Ackermann could even return to the Lions, where he made his name playing under his father in 2016 and 2017.
According to The Rugby Paper in England, the Lions are seemingly the team most likely to land Ackermann.
While the Lions have a number of quality loose forwards in their squad and Francke Horn is a rising No 8 star in local rugby also with an eye on national selection, Ackermann has plenty of experience and could play anywhere in the back row.
And, with Emmanuel Tshituka set to leave the Johannesburg-based side for the Sharks, where his older brother, Vincent, now plays, there is an opening in the Lions squad for an additional loose forward.
The other loose forwards in the
Lions’ URC squad at the moment include the likes of Hanru Sirgel, JC Pretorius, Izan Esterhuizen, Ruhan Straeuli, Travis Gordon and Ruan Venter, all young players with limited experience.
Ackermann has previously also played for the Barbarians and the SA ‘A’ side and long been considered a possible Test option.
In the Bok set-up currently, Pieter-Steph du Toit is the first choice blindside flanker with Siya Kolisi on the openside.
But there is something of a vacancy at No 8 with Duane Vermeulen having retired after the last World Cup in France.
Jasper Wiese has found his way into the Bok team in the last three years and could become the next permanent eighthman, but national coach Rassie Erasmus may want to consider other players as well.
Evan Roos and Elrigh Louw will also fancy their chances of a look-in this year, but so, too Horn and even young Bulls man Cameron Hanekom while Hacjivah Dayimani of the Stormers could also be close to a national call-up.