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Ruan Ackermann

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Ruan Ackermann
Ruan Ackermann, 2019
Date of birth (1995-12-29) 29 December 1995 (age 28)
Place of birthPretoria, South Africa
Height1.94 m (6 ft 4+1⁄2 in)
Weight115 kg (18.1 st; 254 lb)
SchoolHoërskool Garsfontein
Notable relative(s)Johan Ackermann (father)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker/Number 8
Current team Gloucester
Youth career
2014–2017 Golden Lions
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2017 Golden Lions XV 8 (10)
2016–2017 Lions 33 (30)
2016–2017 Golden Lions 9 (5)
2017– Gloucester 117 (55)
Correct as of 18 March 2022
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2017 Barbarians 4 (0)
2017 South Africa 'A' 2 (0)
Correct as of 16 April 2018

Ruan Ackermann (born 29 December 1995) is a South African professional rugby union player, currently playing in the English Premiership with Gloucester. His regular position is flanker.

Club career

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2012–2014 : Youth

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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

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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

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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

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In August 2017, Gloucester Rugby announced the signing of Ackermann, whose father Johan had recently joined as head coach.[17]

International career

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Ackermann played for the Barbarians against South Africa XV in a non-cap friendly, held at the Wembley Stadium in London, England.[18] He also played against Fiji, Czech Republic and New Zealand XV in non-cap friendlies.[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

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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.

Ackermann got married June of 2022 to Kirsty. The pair met through his brother who got her number for him. Ackermann had been recovering from an injury and the couple began getting closer.[23]

References

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  1. ^ "1st XV HS Garsfontein vs Marais Viljoen". Youth Sports Network. 6 March 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Nelspruit klop Garsies in eindstryd". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 24 August 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  3. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Golden Lions U19 28–8 WP U19". South African Rugby Union. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  4. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB Welwitschias 3–53 Xerox Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  5. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 24–12 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  6. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 63–10 Leopards XV". South African Rugby Union. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  7. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Down Touch Griffons 20–36 Xerox Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  8. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 29–21 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  9. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 20–43 Steval Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "Liebenberg to lead Junior Boks at U20 World Championship in Italy". South African Rugby Union. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  12. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State U21 30–17 Golden Lions U21". South African Rugby Union. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  13. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 43–20 Golden Lions U21". South African Rugby Union. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  14. ^ "Emirates Golden Lions squad bolstered for SuperRugby" (Press release). Lions. 5 December 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  15. ^ "Lions name squad for Japan, New Zealand Super Rugby tour". Times Live. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  16. ^ "Lions name their team". The Citizen. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  17. ^ "Super Rugby standout Ruan Ackermann joins Gloucester Rugby". gloucesterrugby.co.uk. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  18. ^ "Barbarians 31-31 South Africa XV". Sky Sports. 5 November 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  19. ^ "Barbarians crush Czech Republic". Planet Rugby. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  20. ^ "Barbarians finish tour with six-try win against Fiji". Barbarians. 11 November 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  21. ^ "Barbarians 33-31 New Zealand XV". Ultimate Rugby. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  22. ^ "HIGHLIGHTS: South Africa As vs French Barbarians". Rugby On Slaught. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  23. ^ "GET AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK INTO RUAN AND KIRSTY ACKERMANN'S WEDDING – The Insider SA". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
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