Respected coach lands new gig after shock France exit amid fielding ‘several offers’
France star Thomas Ramos with Vlok Cilliers (via x.com/Vlokskop10) and an inset of Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann.
Vlok Cilliers has landed a new role following his shock exit from Fabien Galthié’s France coaching team.
Reports at the end of May stated that Cilliers and Shaun Edwards had been relieved of their duties with the French national team, with the head coach eager to shake things up with an eye to the World Cup.
Furthermore, the report added that the once-popular Edwards is no longer universally liked for various reasons, but little was reported about the reasons for Cilliers’ exit.
Vlok Cilliers joins Bulls’ backroom staff
The French Rugby Federation has since confirmed the reports and the former fly-half has now secured a new role, returning to the Bulls.
Cilliers is back where his coaching career took flight, returning to the Pretoria club as kicking coach after a decorated seven-year spell with the French national team.
The former playmaker says the pull of Loftus Versfeld, an old friendship with Johan Ackermann, and unfinished business at the union he once helped build into a powerhouse proved impossible to resist.
“Being with France for seven years was an amazing time, and I picked up so much experience,” he said in a club statement.
“Then me and Johan started talking and chasing ideas, and I said I want to come back. One thing led to another, and I think it’s a perfect set-up to come back to. The Vodacom Bulls have all the potential… they have all the players and the coaches to win a trophy again. They can become even better.”
Cilliers is renowned for his kicking expertise and worked alongside Galthie throughout the latter’s tenure in charge of the French national team. During this spell, France arguably had the best tactical kicking game in international rugby. His work has also been evident with Thomas Ramos’ incredible goal-kicking accuracy.
Johan Ackermann reunion
The 58-year-old became the first-ever kicking coach in South African rugby when he took on the role during Heyneke Meyer and Frans Ludeke’s tenures. He was part of an incredibly successful time with the Bulls who won the Currie Cup in 2004 and 2009, as well as three Super Rugby titles between 2007 and 2010.
Reports suggested that the kicking guru had ‘several offers’ on the table but his return to the Bulls sees Cilliers reunite with Ackermann, with whom he played in the SA Police team in the late 1980s.
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“I’ve known Vlok for a long time. He’s a great person and character. That’s most important – to fit in our team,” Ackermann said.
“You look at the places he’s been coaching and the level he’s been coaching with France and the knowledge that he brings. It’s something we can add to our team.
“He can work with us and he’s also going to be available for our juniors and they can tap into his knowledge. It’s great to have a person of his stature and coaching ability join as a consultant and we look forward to his contribution.”
