Ruan Ackermann signs with Stormers for 2025/26 season

by The TRU Team Tuesday 24 June 2025

Stormers sign Ruan Ackermann for upcoming season to strengthen their back row with experience and versatility.

©Steve Haag

The Stormers have confirmed the signing of Ruan Ackermann, the dynamic loose forward, ahead of the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship season.

The 29-year-old returns to South African rugby after a successful eight-year stint in England with Gloucester, where he made over 170 appearances and built a reputation as one of the Premiership’s most consistent and physical performers.

Capable of playing across all three loose-forward positions, his high work rate, ball-carrying ability, and physical dominance at the breakdown make him an ideal fit for the Stormers’ forward-heavy, confrontational game style.

The Stormers’ Director of Rugby praised Ackermann’s professionalism and leadership qualities, noting that his experience in European rugby will bring an added layer of composure and strategic depth to the squad.

Ackermann’s move also marks a personal homecoming. The son of former Springbok and Lions coach Johan Ackermann, Ruan began his professional career in South Africa before heading overseas in 2017.

The Stormers are quietly building a formidable squad ahead of the new season, with Ackermann joining other recent recruits like Cobus Reinach and Ntuthuko Mchunu.