| Full name | Johannes Nicolaas Ackermann | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | (1970-06-03)3 June 1970 (age 55) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 115 kg (18 st 2 lb; 254 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Hoërskool Brandwag | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative | Ruan Ackermann (son) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Johannes Nicolaas 'Johan' Ackermann (born 3 June 1970) is a South African professionalrugby union coach and former player. He played as alock during his playing career between 1995 and 2007. He is currently the head coach at theBulls.
In 2007, Ackermann became the oldestSpringbok to play for the national side, at the age of 37. After the 2007 World Cup in France, he was recalled to the Springbok squad to play against the Barbarians. This was his last outing as an international player.[citation needed]
Ackermann bowed out of professional rugby on a winning note on 1 March 2008, when the Sharks defeated theBulls 29-15 atLoftus Versfeld. He became the oldest player ever in Super Rugby history at age 37 years, 272 days.[citation needed]
Ackermann was the forwards coach of the Lions in Super Rugby under head coachJohn Mitchell, but after Mitchell left the Union, he took over. He has seen success as coach of the Union including winning the SARU Coach of the Year award in 2014, his first year as head coach. He took over as head coach of theLionsSuper Rugby and theGolden LionsCurrie Cup sides in 2013.[citation needed]
He was appointed as the head coach of English Premiership sideGloucester prior to the 2017–18 season.[1]
He left Gloucester at the end of June 2020 to become head coach at Japanese sideRed Hurricanes[2] He was replaced at Gloucester byGeorge Skivington.[3]
On July 16, 2025, he was announced as the new head coach for the Vodacom Bulls.[4]
Ackerman is married, with two sons and a daughter.[5] He is a strongChristian.[6]