Almost 10,000 SARugbymag.co.za readers answered the call to choose a replacement for outgoing Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber.
With Nienaber set to vacate the post as Springbok coach after the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France to join Leinster, the matter of finding a suitable successor was put to a vote.
Ackermann took an early lead in the race, but Stormers coach John Dobson narrowed the deficit to just seven percent. In the end, Ackermann won with 29% of the vote, Dobson came in with 22%, and 19% of voters liked the idea of Springbok director of rugby Rassie Erasmus reverting to the head coaching role.
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Ackermann led the Lions to consecutive Super Rugby finals (2016, 2017), before moving to Gloucester, where in his first year he coached the English club to third place in the Premiership, their best finish since the 2010-11 season. In 2020, Ackermann was announced as head coach of the Docomo Red Hurricanes, where he stayed for two years, before moving to fellow Japanese club Urayasu D-Rocks.
Meanwhile, the remainder of the poll results saw Bok assistant Mzwandile Stick (6%), Glasgow coach Franco Smith (5%), and former Bok coach Jake White (5%) account for a combined 16% of the vote.
Of the six remaining coaching options, which include Bath coach Johann van Graan and Bok assistant Deon Davids, none received more than 3% of the vote.
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