Johan Ackermann has confirmed that he has one year on his contract in Japan, but has bid farewell to his South African assistant coaches.
Ackermann’s Japanese team, Urayasu D-Rocks, recently won promotion to Japan’s League One, earning him the second division’s Coach of the Year award.
The former Lions coach has expressed his desire to return to South Africa, but will be honouring the final year of his contract with the club next year.
However, Ackermann will be without South African assistant coaches Neil de Bruin and Rory Duncan, who have both left the club.
“Neil and Rory are not returning to the club,” Ackermann told Sunday newspaper Rapport.
“They are returning to South Africa and Europe respectively. They did their job at the club.
“I still have a year’s contract left with the team.”
Ackermann is delighted with the progress that has been made at Urayasu D-Rocks, which formed as a merger between NTT Communications Shining Arcs and Docomo Red Hurricanes.
“Qualifying for the Top League is definitely one of my biggest achievements in Japan,” Ackermann said.
“One can see the fruit of one’s hard work. It’s a nice feeling.
“Last year we had to form a new team from two clubs that merged.”
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