Look who’s on his way back to SA — it’s Johan Ackermann

Former Lions rugby coach Johan Ackermann is apparently on his way back to South Africa from Japan to take up a position with SA Rugby.

Ackermann, who turned out at lock for the Boks in his playing days, led the Lions to consecutive Super Rugby finals in 2016 and 2017 where they lost to the Hurricanes (away) and Crusaders (home), before leaving Joburg for England.

Ackermann then coached Gloucester, before moving to Japan where he has been based for a number of years now.

The 54-year-old is, however, believed to have taken up a position with SA Rugby, that of consultant for the Junior Springbok team.

According to Sunday newspaper Rapport, Ackermann will join new Junior Boks coach Kevin Foote and his team ahead of the 2025 season and help guide the forwards, especially with their mauls.

The Junior Boks have battled to assert themselves against the best teams in the game and last featured in the World Rugby U20 Championship final in 2014, losing to England. They have finished in third place nine times in the last 14 tournaments.

Ackermann is contracted to Urayasu D-Rocks in Japan until January. He was named the Japanese League’s Division 2 Coach of the Year last season before stepping aside for new coach, former Scotland international Greg Laidlaw, and taking over as the team’s technical advisor.

The D-Rocks, under Ackermann, managed to win promotion to the top division.