Gloucester if Ruan Ackermann. (Photo: Simon King/ProSportImages/DPPI via AFP)
According to reports, Ruan Ackermann may be the unknown factor that gives England added momentum at the upcoming World Cup in France.
The South African-born rugby star is the son of former Springbok lock and Lions coach Johan Ackermann.
The 27-year-old loose forward ran amok in the colors of the Lions in the Super Rugby tournament at the time, but has been playing for Gloucester since 2017 and he qualifies to play for England.
Although it was initially feared that he would be on the crutches list for some time – after injuring his knee against La Rochelle – there is now a possibility that in Steve Borthwick [Rose-afrigter] is a visionary.
“There is talk about his possible inclusion in England and his level of play and hard work are the reason for the discussion,” said George Skivington, Gloucester boss, in an interview with RugbyPass.
“However, Ruan will have to undergo an operation, but his injury is not as bad as was initially feared. The player who caused his knee injury weighs 150 kg [La Rochelle se Georges-Henri Colombe] and I think that most of us in such a situation would have come second,” said Skivington.
Despite Ruan Ackermann’s unfortunate injury, Steve Borthwick is supposedly keen to cap the South African-born eighthman ????????????????????????????????????????
The right move? ???? pic.twitter.com/hgsJrPk6ck
— BallCarrier (@BallCarrier_) April 13, 2023
Although Ackermann will not play for Gloucester again this season, the club is keeping its fingers crossed that he will be firing on all cylinders again soon.
“Ruan is a tough player, but he is devastated by the injury. He is very close to a place in the England squad.”
Colombe was meanwhile suspended for four weeks after a disciplinary committee found that he was guilty of reckless play.
Ackermann was in the Lions’ starting team in the final of the 2017 Super Rugby tournament against the Crusaders at Ellis Park.
Although the Johannesburgers lost the showdown 25 – 17, they only got bogged down in one of their 15 group games in the run-up to the final.
Lions teen Crusaders (2017-Superrugbyeindstryd): Andries Coetzee (full back), Ruan Combrinck (right wing), Lionel Mapoe (outside centre), Harold Vorster (inside centre), Courtnall Skosan (left wing), Elton Jantjies (fly-half), Ross Cronjé (scrum-half), Ruan Ackermann (eighth man), Kwagga Smith (flank), Jaco Kriel (flank), Franco Mostert (lock), Andries Ferreira (lock), Ruan Dreyer (prop), Malcolm Marx (hooker) and Jacques van Rooyen (prop).
Players like Cyle Brink, Faf de Klerk and Rohan Janse van Rensburg were on the substitutes’ bench.
