Dad exit hasn't stopped Ackermann from extending Gloucester deal

Ruan Ackermann has agreed to a contract extension at Gloucester, the club where his father Johan was head coach until May 2020 when he felt his future was better served elsewhere rather than staying at the Gallagher Premiership club. Coach Ackermann has set the bar high at Kingsholm, guiding them into the 2018/19 league semi-finals in a season that ended with Danny Cipriani being awarded multiple player of the year awards.

However, rather than that being a stepping stone towards greater things it was instead the high watermark of the Ackermann era in charge at Gloucester and he was to surprisingly leave for Japan. The uneasiness of the situation suggested that it might affect his back row-playing son who had arrived from the Lions for the 2017/18 season. 

That, though, has not been the case and the soon-to-be 26-year-old has committed his future to Gloucester who are now in the early months of their second full season with George Skivington. Ackermann is one of four current players to have agreed to extended deals. 

A Gloucester statement read: "Ruan Ackermann, Matias Alemanno, Val Rapava-Ruskin and Giorgi Kveseladze have all signed new multi-year contracts to stay at Kingsholm. Ruan Ackermann puts his body on the line every game and it’s great for the future of the club that the ferocious back-rower has stayed here at Kingsholm. 

"With the ball carrying ability to put us on the front foot, Ackermann is a key member of the squad. Argentine international Matias Alemanno joined the club back in the summer of 2020 and has been a real physical enforcer since joining from the Jaguares. 

"Since starting his time in the cherry and white shirt, Alemanno has settled into life in Gloucestershire with his wife giving birth to their first-born child in Gloucester Royal Hospital. Georgian centre Giorgi Kveseladze has impressed when he has worn the shirt and as a fully-fledged international player, adds some stardust to the squad. A physical ball carrier with the power to break through the defence, he will be key to Gloucester moving forward.

"Val Rapava-Ruskin joined Gloucester in 2017 and quickly established himself as one of the form loosehead props in the Gallagher Premiership. With over 70 Gloucester  appearances, he has the experience and is one of the key individuals out on the field."

Head coach Skivington added: “These four lads are exactly what we are about here at Gloucester. They all put their bodies on the line every time they put on the shirt so I’m pleased to have them all around for the future. It’s an exciting time for the club and it’s great to see that players of their quality and ability have brought into what we’re doing here and that they want to stay.”