Ackers' return: Bulls move will reignite a legacy that once roared in Jozi

ON the wall of my home office — past the cluttered table, a mess of papers full of stats and books on sport — hangs a poster I designed for The Star in 2017.

- MORGAN BOLTON

It never saw the light of day. Although it was submitted to the Lions Rugby Union for consideration and use in their stadium, a simple error on our part — using “Ellis Park” instead of “Emirates Airline Park” — denied its presence at the Super Rugby final between the Joburgers and the Crusaders that day.

Its message was straightforward — one that recalled a glorious era in Lions history. “Ackers, thanks for the memories,” it read, with a smiling image of Johan Ackermann in the corner and the text flowing around him on a field of red.

That match - ultimately lost by the Lions — was Ackermann’s final one in charge before his departure to English club Gloucester. While the buildup to the sold-out showpiece was filled with anticipation, a tinge of regret lingered deep within the Pride’s collective gut.

Under Ackermann, the Lions had returned to the fore of South African rugby. He took a group of misfits and, alongside Swys de Bruin, moulded them into something quite extraordinary. He led the Lions to an emphatic Currie Cup title in 2015 and two consecutive Super Rugby finals.

For his efforts, he was named SA Rugby Coach of the Year three times.