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

The Lions are disputing Gloucester’s signing of Mostert on the grounds of irregular player movement.

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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.’

This is the second contractual battle over Mostert, after French Top 14 side Lyon threatened legal action against him in 2016.

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