Ackermann endorses De Bruin appointment

Outgoing Lions coach Johan Ackermann has given his stamp of approval to replacement and assistant coach Swys De Bruin.

The Lions confirmed on Tuesday that De Bruin, current assistant coach, will take over next season from Ackermann, who is on his way to Gloucester in England.

And Ackermann feels that De Bruin is the right man to take the team forward.

"I’m very pleased with Swys' appointment," Ackermann said.

"We came a long way. I know how the players feel about him and it’s great that he's going to be in charge.

"He was the assistant coach for a long time, so this is well deserved. He is experienced and most importantly he is part of the culture that we’ve built at the franchise.

"He knows how the players think and what how to get the best out of them."

Meanwhile, Lions flanker Jaco Kriel, who is captaining the side in the absence of injured skipper Warren Whiteley, looks forward to working with De Bruin.

"Definitely going to miss coach Akkies [Johan Ackermann]," Kriel said.

"However, going forward I really think coach Swys is the man for the job. He knows the players, he knows the culture and he knows how everything works. He ticks all the right boxes."