The major difference for Ackermann in preparing for two tournaments
INTERVIEW: Bulls mentor Johan Ackermann explained the stark contrast between preparing for this season’s Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship campaigns and the previous campaign under his guidance.
Ackermann took the reins at the Bulls in mid-July 2025 following the dismissal of Jake White, merely two months out from the 2025/26 URC and Champions Cup campaigns.
Despite not having much time to prepare, he also had to deal with the unavailability of his regular Springboks, whom he only had full access to in late December that year and quickly had to integrate them into a new culture and system.
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A year later, and that picture completely changed.
Players such as Handre Pollard, Cameron Hanekom and Elrich Louw, to name a few, all featured during the Bulls’ first three URC matches, of which they’ve won two.
This weekend, Ackermann named Pollard, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese and Jan-Hendrik Wessels in his starting XV to face Stade Francais in the opening round of the Champions Cup, a luxury he didn’t have a year ago.
There’s also Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Embrose Papier and veteran Willie le Roux on the bench to either save the day or finish the job.
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Ackermann explained how big the difference is having worked with those players for an entire season.
“It’s massive [to know the Bok players]; you look at a team like Leinster who are setting the bar, they came to South Africa for three weeks, but they brought over 40 players,” Ackermann said on Thursday.
“Even though they knew they wouldn’t play the Irish internationals in the first two weeks, they brought them because that’s a big part of your team culture; to have everyone together.
“We didn’t have that last season. In January [2026] we had our first meeting with the Springbok players all in the same room, and it just feels better.
“Last week was tough; it was like the lost sons returned, and you look at the new faces in front of you, but just because we worked with them last season already, it’s not like it’s the first time you meet the guy.
“He’s in our meetings, and catches up quickly, and then he plays five games for the Bulls.
“When they return in December after the Nations Championship in November, that transition will also be a lot easier, so it’s a much better foot to be on.
“The only thing now is that we hope everyone stays fit and healthy.”
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