EX-GUN cop Johan Ackermann dodged chasing South Africa’s most-deadly criminals during a career in the force.
But the Gloucester boss has proved he can hunt down trophies.
The South African arrived at Kingsholm just FOUR days before their first pre-season game and tomorrow they face Newcastle Falcons in an epic European semi-final.
Good cop Ackermann has the Cherry and Whites just two wins away from lifting the Challenge Cup for the second time in four years.
And the 47-year-old has done it the hard way since coming close to losing everything 21 years ago.
Even his early days in England were rocked by accusations of a nightclub brawl with his son, Ruan, back in December.
But 6ft 6ins Ackermann is definitely is no bad cop, despite the blemishes on his rap sheet.
The second row was banned for drugs in 1997 – just four games after making his Springboks debut – when a friend in the police force told him that taking nandrolone would speed up his recovery from a knee injury.
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He got caught, admitted he was fully at fault and was slapped with a two year ban.
Afrikaans speaker Ackermann told SunSport: “I played four Tests and then got some not great advice and it cost my two years of my career.
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“I had to work all my way back. Rugby had just turned pro and guys had started to sign contracts. I was on the verge of signing pro – working with the police, I was limited financially. So I thought I could finally buy my first car and maybe a house.
“I lost that opportunity, but the biggest blessing was that I still had a job and a monthly income to provide for my family.
“It wasn’t a smooth sailing career. I had to fight my way back a lot of time. It was a very up and down, but also satisfying. I never thought I would be a coach, but now I have a lot of experiences to tap into.
“I don’t have all the answers, but think I have enough and a fair bit of life experience.”
Ackermann spent the next two years continuing his work as a firearms instructor in Pretoria.
Getting up at 5am he trained alone on the rugby pitches before heading to the shooting range, then back to train with the police rugby team in the evenings.
Luckily his work in the force kept him away from the frontline in a country that had been ripped apart by apartheid and with a shockingly high murder rate.
Ackermann said: “In the police I never arrested anyone.
“But I did work a few shifts when the guys needed help in the station or when the President was speaking and we had to block off a certain area.
“I was fortunate enough to never be in a hostage situation or an investigation of a murder. I guess I was in the soft part of it. I heard and saw of some incidents, but I wasn’t involved.”
Ackermann could have given up on his rugby dream after his suspension.
He kept going and at the ripe old age of 37 become the Springboks’ most golden of oldies.
A spell at Northampton Saints was wrecked by injuries, but now he is well and truly making a name for himself in England.
Ahead of Friday’s all Anglo cup clash with the Falcons, Gloucester are still in the Premiership play-off hunt with the chance of landing two trophies.
Ackermann, whose son and No8 Ruan also joined him at Kingsholm, added: “It’s been an interesting road since I arrived.
“I don’t want any regrets and I didn’t want to be sitting at home retired having only coached in South Africa. It was a big decision and wasn’t easy to make with my relationship with the Lions.
“It has taken a lot of hard work from everyone from our admin team, to the coaches, the players this season.
“The Challenge Cup is a bit closer to being a success. I am almost scared it could happen too quickly. It will take a process.
“Success doesn’t happen quickly, it takes teams time to develop and we just have to be patient.”
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