Inaccurate Lions in line-out quandary
However, admitted to be having a few "concerns" about his team's inaccuracy in the line-outs in their 36-28 triumph over the Bulls at the weekend.
The Johannesburg-based outfit stayed top of the Currie Cup standings with the win, but were forced to hang on desperately in the face of a fierce second-half comeback by their trans-Jukskei neighbours.
After leading 30-7 at the end of a clinical first half, the Lions lost their structure and three converted tries saw the Bulls close the gap to just five points (28-33) with 10 minutes remaining.
In the end a late Marnitz Boshoff penalty not just robbed the Bulls of a possible win, but also denied them a second bonus point.
"I said I'll take any win," Ackermann said of his team's erratic performance.
"Credit to the Bulls – at 7-30 [down] they could have panicked and made more mistakes. However, they were very clinical in that second half and put us under pressure in the line-outs and our discipline wasn't up to scratch.
"We conceded penalties, they kicked in the corner, built pressure and scored. What should have been a bit easier, became a very hard victory."
The Lions mentor said that in the first half his charges managed to secure quick ball, while accurate running and passing set up a big lead.
"There was also good defence that created turnovers," he said, adding: "One or two of our plans worked.
"We always knew that with the character of the Bulls they would come back and suddenly it looked like we were happy to just defend. They scored a second and a third try and started to believe.
"From there on we were always on dangerous ground."
Asked what was his biggest headache, Ackermann said the team lacked accuracy in the line-outs.
"We had three or four line-outs where we could have built pressure, but coughed up the ball.
"Turnover ball is always dangerous, because your defence is not set.
"The Bulls retained ball, we were not disciplined and they kicked the penalties into he corners."
He said they will look at their "line-outs and our ball management" as they start to plan for their Round Seven encounter with the Sharks at Ellis Park this coming Saturday.
His was a lot more pleased with his team's form in the scrums, where they were good in the first half.
"In the second half we didn't get a lot of scrums in the areas we wanted to, while there was the odd scrum we thought we dominated, but didn't get reward.
"Our biggest issue was our line-outs."
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