Ruan Ackermann
Ruan Ackermann (born 29 December 1995) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing in the English Premiership with Gloucester. His regular position is flanker.
Ruan Ackermann, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 29 December 1995 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Pretoria, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 110 kg (17 st; 240 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Hoërskool Garsfontein, Pretoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Johan Ackermann (father) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Club career
2012–2014 : Youth
Ackermann played high school rugby for Hoërskool Garsfontein, where he featured for their first XV from 2012 to 2014,[1] also captaining them in 2014, where he helped them reach the final of the Beeld Trophy.[2] He didn't represent the Blue Bulls at Craven Week level and was instead contracted by Johannesburg-based side the Golden Lions to join their academy from 2015.
Despite still being at school, he was included in the Golden Lions U19 squad during the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship and was named on the bench for three of their matches. He played off the bench on all three occasions and marked his debut – a Round Ten match against Western Province U19 in Johannesburg – by scoring a try in a 28–8 victory.[3]
2015 : Vodacom Cup and Under-21
Ackermann was named in the Golden Lions squad for the 2015 Vodacom Cup. He made his first class debut by starting their opening match of the campaign, a 53–3 victory over the Welwitschias in Windhoek.[4] He played off the bench in their regular season matches against the Blue Bulls,[5] Leopards[6] and the Griffons in Welkom, a match that also saw Ackermann score his first senior try in a 36–20 victory.[7] The Golden Lions finished top of the Northern Section, winning all seven of their matches to qualify for the Quarter Finals. Ackermann played off the bench in a 29–21 victory over the SWD Eagles in their quarter final match[8] and started their semi-final match against the Pumas, which the side from Nelspruit won 43–20 to eliminate the Golden Lions from the competition.[9]
Ackermann was named in a 37-man South Africa Under-20 training squad in March 2015,[10] but missed out on selection for their final squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[11]
He made six appearances for the Golden Lions U21 team during the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, scoring a try in his side's 17–30 defeat to the Free State U21s[12] as they finished in fourth position on the log to qualify for the semi-finals, but didn't feature in the semi-final match which was won 43–20 by eventual champions Western Province U21.[13]
2016–2017 : Super Rugby
In December 2015, Ackermann was included in the 55-man Lions squad that prepared for the 2016 Super Rugby season[14] and he also made the cut for a 27-man squad for their tour to Japan and New Zealand for matches against the Sunwolves, Chiefs and Highlanders.[15] He was named on the bench for their opening match against the Sunwolves.[16]
2017 : Move to Gloucester
In August 2017, Gloucester Rugby announced the signing of Ackermann, whose father Johan had recently joined as head coach.[17]
International career
Ackermann played for the Barbarians against South Africa XV in a non-cap friendly, held at the Wembley Stadium in London, England.[18] Hew also played against Fiji, Czech Republic and New Zealand XV in a non-cap friendly.[19][20][21]
He was included in the South Africa 'A' side in a two-test series against French Barbarians, also coached under his father, Johan Ackermann.[22]
Personal life
He is the son of Johan Ackermann, a former provincial rugby player who also made thirteen appearances for the South African national team. After finishing his playing career, Johan Ackermann became a coach at the Golden Lions Currie Cup side and the Lions Super Rugby side.
References
- "1st XV HS Garsfontein vs Marais Viljoen". Youth Sports Network. 6 March 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- "Nelspruit klop Garsies in eindstryd". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 24 August 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – Golden Lions U19 28-8 WP U19". South African Rugby Union. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB Welwitschias 3-53 Xerox Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 24-12 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 63-10 Leopards XV". South African Rugby Union. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – Down Touch Griffons 20-36 Xerox Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 29-21 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 20-43 Steval Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- "SARU names large group for Junior Bok trials". South African Rugby Union. 25 March 2015. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
- "Liebenberg to lead Junior Boks at U20 World Championship in Italy". South African Rugby Union. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State U21 30-17 Golden Lions U21". South African Rugby Union. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 43-20 Golden Lions U21". South African Rugby Union. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- "Emirates Golden Lions squad bolstered for SuperRugby" (Press release). Lions. 5 December 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- "Lions name squad for Japan, New Zealand Super Rugby tour". Times Live. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- "Lions name their team". The Citizen. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
- "Super Rugby standout Ruan Ackermann joins Gloucester Rugby". gloucesterrugby.co.uk. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
- "Barbarians 31-31 South Africa XV". Sky Sports. 5 November 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- "Barbarians crush Czech Republic". Planet Rugby. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- "Barbarians finish tour with six-try win against Fiji". Barbarians. 11 November 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- "Barbarians 33-31 New Zealand XV". Ultimate Rugby. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- "HIGHLIGHTS: South Africa As vs French Barbarians". Rugby On Slaught. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
External links
- "SA Rugby Player Profile – Ruan Ackermann". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
- Profile on itsrugby.co.uk