Akkers creating 'something special'
Johannes Nicolaas Ackermann may be in the infancy of his coaching career, but the grizzled former lock forward is already making great strides.
His team, the Golden Lions, may have lost in the Currie Cup Final (16-19) to Western Province at the weekend, but in the eyes of the players he is a 'winner'.
After taking over from controversial New Zealander John Mitchell in 2012, he has not only guided the Lions back to Super Rugby, but they achieved their best season ever in SANZAR's provincial championship and reached the Currie Cup Final.
In the process he took a bunch of 'no-name brand' players – mostly unwanted at other unions – and turned them into a very competitive unit.
Five of them – Marnitz Boshoff, Warren Whiteley, Jaco Kriel, Julian Redelinghuys and Robbie Coetzee – have also been called up for Springbok duty this year.
Whiteley, the Lions captain, spoke of the growth his team showed in 2014 and the massive role the gentle giant, Ackermann, has played in the team's evolution.
"Coach [Ackermann] has created something special," the Lions skipper said after his team's loss in the Final at Newlands at the weekend.
"He is such a presence, he doesn't even have to raise his voice.
"It is such a pleasure to play with these guys and I can tell you, there is something special happening."
Speaking of the evolution from a no-name brand team at start of the year, producing the Lions' most successful Super Rugby campaign and then reaching the Currie Cup Final, Whiteley said the side has grown immensely in the last 12 months.
"We can all agree, where we were two years ago as a group [kicked out of Super Rugby], coach [Johan Ackermann] has created such an amazing culture.
"It is one of brotherhood, but also one of excellence.
"We really enjoy playing together and we enjoy what we do.
"There is definitively big things to come for us and we spoke about it after the game [at Newlands], we are definitely better players."
He said they have learnt a lot from their loss in the Final – an invaluable experience they can take into Super Rugby next year.
"Just remember, 20 of the guys played in their first Currie Cup Final," Whiteley said.
"We know it is going to be tough next year, because we are not going to be taken lightly."
By Jan de Koning
@King365ed
@rugby365com
* Picture credit: Rian Botes
