Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann values trusted lieutenants – from Swys de Bruin to Swys’ son Neil.
Ackermann, who succeeded Jake White in mid-2025, brought Neil in as attack coach at the end of 2025 as part of a broader cultural and tactical reset at Loftus.
“Neil is a copy and paste of Swys,” Ackermann said on the Megafoon Rugby podcast recently.
“Swys always gave me energy, he’s innovative and thinks deeply about the game, and Neil is the same. We just enjoy the same way of thinking about rugby.”
The 55-year-old Ackermann stressed that alignment and trust within a coaching group are critical, especially during periods of change.
“Sometimes it’s just about personalities and how you see the game,” he said. “You need people around you who you’re comfortable with, who challenge you, and who are willing to take risks. And if it doesn’t work, you live with the result together.”
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Ackermann has had long-standing coaching relationships with both Swys and Neil.
Swys joined Ackermann as assistant coach at the Lions in 2012 and the duo turned around the team’s fortunes, reaching Super Rugby finals in 2015 and 2016.
Swys is currently the head coach of the Springbok Women.
Neil was a promising player before injury cut short his playing career at 26 and he transitioned into coaching.
Ackermann and Neil’s paths first crossed in 2017. The pair then coached together in Japan from 2020 to 2024 before Neil returned to South Africa to lead Paarl Boys’ High as director of rugby. Under his guidance, the school ended 2025 ranked No 1 in the country.
The Bulls then lured Neil north.
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Ackermann said that having familiar voices helped navigate the pressures of elite coaching.
“There’s pressure every day in this job. You need people who remind you about certain things in life and bring back that enjoyment.”
Ackermann drew a parallel with new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie, who has consistently worked with trusted assistant Mike Blair.
“Dave went to to Glasgow and took his attack coach there, then he was with him at Kobe [in Japan] and now he’s with him at the All Blacks.
“When things happen, sometimes you just feel a little bit more comfortable with somebody and it helps you as a person.”
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Photo: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
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