Ackermann expects Franco Mostert to arrive next month

Gloucester Head Coach Johan Ackermann says he still expects Springbok lock Franco Mostert to be a Gloucester player following a dispute regarding the lock’s contract with the Premiership side.

Ackermann's former side the Lions are disputing Gloucester’s signing of the Springbok lock on the grounds of irregular player movement.

However, Ackermann, who coached Mostert at the Lions between 2014 and 2017, is adamant that the Springbok lock will join his squad in November.

‘I’m not going to get involved in the dispute side,’ Ackermann told Gloucestershire Live. ‘All I can say is we’ve got the contract and our expectation is for Franco to be here on 1 November and then we’ll take it from there.’

South Africa are touring the northern hemisphere next month and there have been doubts over whether Mostert will be able to play against England as it is being played outside of the Test window on November 3 and Premiership Rugby rules don’t allow the release of non-English internationals during this period.

“It’s up to us as contract holders to decide that and what the regulation is among the Premiership clubs but at the moment we feel he’ll join us then,” said Ackermann.