Get Newsletter

Father-son tag team gradually progressing at Gloucester

Ackermann was part of the squad defeated heavily last weekend, and that same group responded in fine style.

ADVERTISEMENT

And for Ruan, he was pleased with the result, which was ideal to back up the belief from his Father.

"To be honest, he was a little bit grumpy on Sunday and Monday, but he said to the guys all week that you cannot hammer on the result, and you have to move on.

"He shows a lot of belief in the team, and he knows that it's not our type of performance, and he wanted to prove to the guys that we can show what we're about.

"I think the boys did prove that this week, and we scored some really amazing tries, and to bounce back from the result last week was amazing for us,"

The scenes at the end of the game were of jubilation, as the Cherry and Whites earned a late penalty at the maul to hold on and secure the full five-point victory, and Ackermann was delighted the squad could enjoy that moment, and the confidence it could bring to the side.

"Our set piece was superb, and it laid a platform for the backs to play. They launched their attack really well, and they were some real positives for us.

ADVERTISEMENT

 

"On defence, we let in some easy tries, but at crucial moments, we really defended well, and with real energy.

"At the end, just getting over the line, and getting the result was really important for us, especially in front of our own fans at Kingsholm.

"That resolve at the end is definitely something that we can take on into our next games going forward."

ADVERTISEMENT

With league leaders Saints arriving at Kingsholm with a spring in their step, the Gloucester defence had to work overtime, and Ackermann was thrilled with the way the defensive unit stuck to their tasks.

*Article continues below the video!

"We really focused hard during the week on our defence, and we even had an extra session on Monday just to walk through some detail.

"Taking the learnings from the previous week, we wanted to focus a lot on our defence, and prove that when we go back to the basics, we can play.

"We want to play some exciting rugby for sure, but we have to earn that right through getting our basics right and we did."

There were a number of key moments in the game, where Gloucester wrestled back possession on their own line, and Ackermann played a key role in one crucial steal, where he stole the ball and carried with purpose out of his own 22.

"Obviously as a flank or a number eight, you are looking for opportunities to influence the game, and the way that the Saints runner was tackled gave me an opportunity to get in there and luckily Wayne Barnes was really strict with how he was refereeing the game, and he saw that I got over the ball.

"There was a special moment getting up and running and the way the crowd responded really lifted me as a player, and I really enjoyed that moment for sure."

Source: @gloucesterrugby

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Write A Comment