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Cape Town - Former Springbok lock Kobus Wiese has hit out at SA Rugby for not doing more to keep Lions coach Johan Ackermann in the country.
This comes after Ackermann earlier this week confirmed that he would leave the Lions at the conclusion of this year’s Super Rugby competition to join English Premiership outfit Gloucester.
Wiese, a former Lions lock and 1995 World Cup winner, feels SA Rugby should have made a concerted effort to keep Ackermann part of the local structures.
Wiese shared his thoughts via his official Twitter page:
Now that SARU is in the process of appointing "assistant coaches for assistants" , how can they allow Johan Ackerman to leave?
— Kobus Wiese (@4KobusWiese) April 5, 2017
I mean, Lions in SR final last year, Ackerman coach of thr year 3 years running, etc! Like i said, just asking.
— Kobus Wiese (@4KobusWiese) April 5, 2017
Ackermann, who also coached the SA 'A' side last year, was appointed head coach of the Lions in 2013 after being assistant coach to the Super Rugby side since 2010.
He took the Lions to the Super Rugby final in 2016, where they lost to the Hurricanes in Wellington.
As a player, Ackermann represented a number of high profiled teams in over 180 matches as well as the Springboks in 13 Tests.
Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli said the union tried its best to convince Ackermann to stay.
"We had a long discussion with Johan. Obviously we wanted to keep him," said Straeuli. "We honour his decision at the moment and it's an opportunity for us to grow and keep that continuity with the legacy that he is left.
"In everything you would like to keep people and for us it's keeping the stability that we have at the moment in our playing and coaching staff."
