Ackermann’s road to a roaring Super 15 season

Emirates Lions fans have been delighted with the team’s recent performance in the 2015 Super Rugby season and many believe one of the reasons behind this success is head coach, Johan Ackermann.

As the coach of only one of two South African teams ranked in the top 10 on the Super Rugby log, “Ackers”, as he is affectionately known by the rugby fraternity, reflects on the opportunities he had to get to this point in his career.

Ackermann began his professional rugby career in 1995 as a provincial player for the Bulls, the Griquas, the Lions and the Sharks. During this time he also represented South Africa in the Southern Hemisphere’s Rugby Championship tournament (formerly the Tri-Nations). During the years 2004 to 2005 he played for England’s North Hampton Saints team and Italy’s Calvisano team from 2004 to 2005.

After retiring officially from the Sharks as a player in 2008, Ackermann was invited to coach at the Investec International Rugby Academy, by director Dick Muir. He was tasked with mentoring young players at the academy who were eager to learn from the invaluable experience and knowledge former professionals, like Ackermann, had to offer.

Based on the highly successful training model of the New Zealand Rugby Academy, the Investec International Rugby Academy which was started in 2009 by Muir, has since played an important role in the professional careers of many of SA’s rugby players and coaches.

“Dick had just started the Investec International Rugby Academy and invited me to join him as one of the team coaches. I was overjoyed to be involved in rugby at some level again and to give back to young kids who share a passion for the game,” said Ackermann.

While the academy allowed him to put what he had learnt to use with the youth, it also gave him the opportunity to be trained as a coach by former Sharks coach and Springbok backline coach, Muir.

“My coaching career is all because of Dick; he gave me the opportunity to get involved in the academy in order to see if coaching was something that I could grow into. After a few courses with the academy, Dick felt that I could coach at a higher level,” said Ackermann.

The Investec International Rugby Academy courses offer more than just physical skills training and development – they give enrolees an in-depth opportunity to look into the lives of top level players, providing them with an understanding of what it takes to make it at the top level.

Ackermann’s advice to young player’s hoping to improve their performance on the field is to grab opportunity whole-heartedly.

“The Investec International Rugby Academy is a unique opportunity to learn what professional rugby is all about; from rugby skills, to nutrition and recovery.

The best aspect of the courses in the academy is position specific coaching,” said Ackermann.

This year the academy’s first round of courses take place from 27 June to 3 July at St Charles College in Pietermaritzburg. The week long courses (7 courses in total) offer a rare opportunity, for players and coaches, to learn from local and international rugby icons.

Players’ courses on offer in June are the Prestige Players Course (aged eight to 11 years), the Intermediate Players Course (aged 12 to 15 years), the Advanced Players Course (aged 16 to 18 years) and the Elite Players Course (aged 18 and older). Coaches’ courses on offer are the Prestige Coaches Course, the Intermediate Coaches Course and the Advanced Coaches Course.

Former Rugby World Cup players’ John Allan (1991), Werner Swanepoel (1999) and Butch James (2007 and 2011) who will be bringing their expertise to the academy along with former Springbok’s assistant coach Dick Muir, former British Lions coach Andy Keast, ex-Wallabies kicking coach Braam van Straaten, ex-Springbok assistant coach and current Sharks Coach Gary Gold, former Sharks Coach Grant Bashford and All-Blacks, Chiefs and Blues technical advisor Nico le Roux.

Boys can look forward to learning from former Springboks Dick Muir, Gcobani Bobo, Ian MacDonald and most capped South African Rugby Player Jacques Botes as well as local coaches’ Ryan Strudwick and Greg Miller. In addition to the professional coaches involved in the academy, international referee, Mark Lawrence, will be teaching the theories behind the game of rugby and its laws.

Rugby stalwarts Peter de Villiers (2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cup coach) and Ian McIntosh (Springbok coach, selector and director of Natal Rugby in the 90’s) are also part of the line-up. Behind the scenes training is also a feature of the academy and specialists such as Mark Steele (former Springbok conditioning coach) and Tim Goodenough (meta-coach) will be teaching the physical and mental aspects of rugby.

Ackermann believes that playing rugby is more than just becoming a professional, but rather, about learning necessary life skills.

“There will always be highs and lows in the game and in life. Discipline, work ethic, and effort is crucial to overcoming character tests on and off the field,” advises Ackermann.

Ackermann shares General Manager of the Investec International Rugby Academy, Greg Miller’s coaching ideology, which outlines the hands-on training one can expect from the academy’s courses.

“Coaching is about understanding the team environment. In a team there are 15 unique individuals and as a coach you have to know how to deal with each one – his strengths, weaknesses and his position and not to generalise in order to get through to him. The coaches for the June course have been specifically selected to ensure we offer the boys the best coaching available,” said Miller.

The Investec international Rugby Academy’s player and coach courses will commence on 27 June. To book contact Bernadine on 031 940 5565 or visit www.investecacademy.com.