Staff Reporter.
The Vodacom Bulls have officially confirmed Johan Ackermann will take over the head coaching reins at the Pretoria-based club next season.
Ackermann, who is currently assisting the Junior Boks in their quest to win the Junior World Championship in Italy, will join the team on his return to South Africa next week.
The former Lions coach, who led the team to two Super Rugby finals and built the Lions into a force in the mid 2010s, has been coaching in Japan in recent times after a stint with Gloucester in the English Premiership.
Ackermann, who started his career at the Bulls as a player, still lives in Pretoria and was on a shortlist of coaches put forward to the Board of Directors that included Bath head coach Johann van Graan, Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith and former Springbok and current Leinster assistant coach Jacques Nienaber.
Ackermann is a three time South African coach of the year and was also the SA A coach during his coaching tenure. An exceptional player manager, Ackermann has a long history with the Bulls and will fit in well with the culture.
“He’s the right person at the right time,” said Willem Strauss, president of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union. “He’s a Carlton League legend, he played his first test at Loftus, he played for the Bulls, his blood is blue. This was always meant to be. His management of people and ability to drive culture are renowned.”
It was a view echoed by Edgar Rathbone, the chief executive of the Blue Bulls Company.
“Johan Ackermann is not just an outstanding coach; he is a leader who lives and breathes the values of this union. His reputation for forging powerful team cultures, developing players to their full potential, and delivering results at the highest level is well proven.
“The Vodacom Bulls are a club built on legacy and ambition, and with Johan at the helm, we are confident our future will be shaped by excellence, resilience, and unity. This appointment marks an exciting new chapter for Bulls rugby, and we are thrilled to welcome him home.”
Born in Benoni in 1970, he forged a robust playing career as a lock, earning 13 Test caps for the Springboks between 1996 and 2007.
His relentless physicality and grit made him a formidable presence, and his final appearance at age 37 crowned him the oldest player in Springbok history at the time.
His age at his last Test (37 years, 34 days) has subsequently been overtaken by Victor Matfield (38 years, 172 days), Schalk Brits (38 years, 145 days), Duane Vermeulen (37 years, 117 days) and equalled by Morné Steyn (37 years, 34 days).