By ROSS ROCHE and LIAM DEL CARME
Former Border Bulldogs rugby star Lukhanyo Am received the biggest nod of his fledgling career when he was picked in the Springbok squad for the three Test series against France next month.
Am has been in superb form for the Sharks in this season’s Super Rugby competition and his eye-catching performances have clearly not gone unnoticed.
Am hails from King William’s Town and started his senior rugby career with the Border Bulldogs, before being noticed by the Sharks.
They snapped him up at the end of 2015 and promptly loaned him to the Southern Kings for the 2016 Super Rugby season.
Once back at the Sharks Am enjoyed a solid Currie Cup campaign, working his way into the team’s plans, culminating with him becoming a star performer in this year’s Super Rugby competition.
He will now look to take that form into the Bok set-up and try and become an integral part of the team going forward.
Along with Am a further seven uncapped players were selected by Springbok coach Allister Coetzee, who revealed that his chastening 2016 experiences have informed his selection of a mix-and-match squad that has a fair blend of youth and experience.
Coetzee loosely admitted wisdom comes with age but stopped short of conceding he had wasted a year in delaying Warren Whiteley’s appointment as team captain.
The 29-year old yesterday became the 58th Springbok captain and will hold the reins this year as Coetzee hopes to establish some stability in his squad.
Despite the fact that Whiteley captained the Golden Lions to the Currie Cup crown in 2015 and the Lions to the Super Rugby final last year‚ Coetzee overlooked his credentials, opting instead for Adriaan Strauss last season.
It was argued Coetzee could not guarantee Whiteley a place in his starting line-up ahead of Duane Vermeulen.
A year on and Strauss has stepped aside‚ Vermeulen is still running into‚ and occasionally through, brick walls for Toulon in the south of France‚ but most importantly Whiteley has grown in stature as captain of the Lions.
Coetzee believes the two players can complement each other and it doesn’t mean they can’t be on the playing surface at the same time.
Coetzee is envisaging a slightly different role for Vermeulen who is at his best as a remove-the-door-from-its-hinges eighth man.
“It would be a great combination to have players like Warren and Duane in the side.
“I’m happy with a combination that includes Warren at eight‚ Duane at seven and one of the other flankers at six.”
Coetzee broke the news to Whitely during a long one-on-one meeting on Monday.
“It was a long chat‚ not just all rugby but life as well‚” recalled Whiteley.
Forwards (18):
Lood de Jager‚ Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ Ruan Dreyer‚ Eben Etzebeth‚ Steven Kitshoff‚ Siya Kolisi‚ Jaco Kriel‚ Frans Malherbe‚ Malcolm Marx‚ Bongi Mbonambi‚ Oupa Mohoje‚ Franco Mostert‚ Tendai Mtawarira‚ Lizo Gqoboka‚ Coenie Oosthuizen‚ Chiliboy Ralepelle‚ Duane Vermeulen‚ Warren Whiteley (captain)
Backs (13):
Lukhanyo Am‚ Andries Coetzee‚ Ross Cronje‚ Damian de Allende‚ Francois Hougaard‚ Elton Jantjies‚ Jesse Kriel‚ Dillyn Leyds‚ Rudy Paige‚ Raymond Rhule‚ Jan Serfontein‚ Courtnall Skosan‚ Frans Steyn
Ex-Border star’s big Bok break - Lukhanyo honoured after solid season
Former Border Bulldogs rugby star Lukhanyo Am received the biggest nod of his fledgling career when he was picked in the Springbok squad for the three Test series against France next month.
Am has been in superb form for the Sharks in this season’s Super Rugby competition and his eye-catching performances have clearly not gone unnoticed.
Am hails from King William’s Town and started his senior rugby career with the Border Bulldogs, before being noticed by the Sharks.
They snapped him up at the end of 2015 and promptly loaned him to the Southern Kings for the 2016 Super Rugby season.
Once back at the Sharks Am enjoyed a solid Currie Cup campaign, working his way into the team’s plans, culminating with him becoming a star performer in this year’s Super Rugby competition.
He will now look to take that form into the Bok set-up and try and become an integral part of the team going forward.
Along with Am a further seven uncapped players were selected by Springbok coach Allister Coetzee, who revealed that his chastening 2016 experiences have informed his selection of a mix-and-match squad that has a fair blend of youth and experience.
Coetzee loosely admitted wisdom comes with age but stopped short of conceding he had wasted a year in delaying Warren Whiteley’s appointment as team captain.
The 29-year old yesterday became the 58th Springbok captain and will hold the reins this year as Coetzee hopes to establish some stability in his squad.
Despite the fact that Whiteley captained the Golden Lions to the Currie Cup crown in 2015 and the Lions to the Super Rugby final last year‚ Coetzee overlooked his credentials, opting instead for Adriaan Strauss last season.
It was argued Coetzee could not guarantee Whiteley a place in his starting line-up ahead of Duane Vermeulen.
A year on and Strauss has stepped aside‚ Vermeulen is still running into‚ and occasionally through, brick walls for Toulon in the south of France‚ but most importantly Whiteley has grown in stature as captain of the Lions.
Coetzee believes the two players can complement each other and it doesn’t mean they can’t be on the playing surface at the same time.
Coetzee is envisaging a slightly different role for Vermeulen who is at his best as a remove-the-door-from-its-hinges eighth man.
“It would be a great combination to have players like Warren and Duane in the side.
“I’m happy with a combination that includes Warren at eight‚ Duane at seven and one of the other flankers at six.”
Coetzee broke the news to Whitely during a long one-on-one meeting on Monday.
“It was a long chat‚ not just all rugby but life as well‚” recalled Whiteley.
Forwards (18):
Lood de Jager‚ Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ Ruan Dreyer‚ Eben Etzebeth‚ Steven Kitshoff‚ Siya Kolisi‚ Jaco Kriel‚ Frans Malherbe‚ Malcolm Marx‚ Bongi Mbonambi‚ Oupa Mohoje‚ Franco Mostert‚ Tendai Mtawarira‚ Lizo Gqoboka‚ Coenie Oosthuizen‚ Chiliboy Ralepelle‚ Duane Vermeulen‚ Warren Whiteley (captain)
Backs (13):
Lukhanyo Am‚ Andries Coetzee‚ Ross Cronje‚ Damian de Allende‚ Francois Hougaard‚ Elton Jantjies‚ Jesse Kriel‚ Dillyn Leyds‚ Rudy Paige‚ Raymond Rhule‚ Jan Serfontein‚ Courtnall Skosan‚ Frans Steyn
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