PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - MARCH 22: Andries Bekker, Assistant Coach of the Vodacom Blue Bulls during the United Rugby Championship match between Vodacom Bulls and Leinster at Loftus Versfeld on March 22, 2025 in Pretoria. (Photo by Gordon Arons/Gallo Images)
The Bulls have offloaded assistant senior coaches Andries Bekker and Chris Rossouw following the team’s poor start to the 2025/26 season.
New head coach Johan Ackermann inherited Bekker and Rossouw, both also former Springbok players like Ackermann, from Jake White’s coaching team when he took over at the start of this season.
While Ackermann said he would keep Bekker and Rossouw on board until the end of the season next July, when their contracts would be up for renewal, a decision has been made to change the coaching team with immediate effect.
The Bulls have struggled for consistency this season and have lost five games in a row in all competitions.
Ackermann will now be able to appoint his own assistant coaches, to handle the backline and forward duties, though he is believed to be keen to coach the forwards, as he’s done before at teams like the Lions.
The former Bok lock achieved great success at the Lions, guiding them to Super Rugby finals in 2016 and 2017 until he departed for a job with Gloucester. He has also coached in Japan.
More to follow …
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