Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has recalled the “massive influence” Dave Rennie had on his former team, the Lions.
Ackermann coached the Lions from 2013 to 2017, overseeing a remarkable transformation of a team that had been relegated from Super Rugby in 2012 and taking them to back-to-back finals in his last two seasons.
In 2014, the Lions suffered a 38-8 defeat to Rennie’s Chiefs, who had won Super Rugby the previous year, in Hamilton.
The former Bok lock has not forgotten the advice he received from the New Zealander afterwards.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Dave Rennie,” Ackermann said. “He was a massive influence on our Lions days.
“Myself and [assistant coach] Swys [de Bruin] were a bit down in the dumps. Although we knew it was a new team and our first year back in Super Rugby, we played the Chiefs in Hamilton, where he was the coach, and we lost badly.
“We spoke to him afterwards out on the field and he told us that if we’ve got a philosophy and we’ve got a style that we want to play, just hang in there.
“They had won Super Rugby, and the fact that they played quite an exciting brand was quite a mind shift for how we wanted to play.
“He shared a few ideas and we came back and stuck to our guns on how we wanted to play. It worked for us.”
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Ackermann believes the hallmarks of Rennie’s coaching remain evident in the All Blacks, particularly the emphasis on culture, tempo and skill.
Before taking charge of New Zealand this year, Rennie coached the Glasgow Warriors and Wallabies, and most recently led the Kobe Steelers to the Japan Rugby League One title.
“Every team he goes to, one thing he gets right is the culture of the team, and then they play a fast game,” Ackermann said.
“Now with Kobe, who won the Japan league, just look at how much ball-in-play time they have and the high scores they got.
“That’s his style and I don’t think he’s going to change that.
“He’s going to keep pushing the guys to have a high skill set and to back that skill set.”
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The post Ackers relishing Rennie reunion appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has recalled the “massive influence” Dave Rennie had on his former team, the Lions.
The post Ackers relishing Rennie reunion appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
