Ackermann feeling the heat

CHOP: BULLS AXE BEKKER, ROSSOUW AFTER POOR RUN

- Ross Roche

(Picture: Getty Images)

It has been a tough start to coaching life back in South Africa for Johan Ackermann, with his Bulls team struggling in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and Champions Cup competitions.

Ackermann was a celebrated coach when he left the country in 2017, having led the Lions to two straight Super Rugby finals (in 2016 and 2017), and picked up multiple SA coach of the year awards. He then had relatively decent spells in charge of Gloucester in England, and Red Hurricanes and Urayasu D-Rocks in Japan, before his return to SA, which saw him consulting with the Junior Bok team, who went on to win the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship.