New-look Bok team full of energy, excitement, says fit-again Lukhanyo Am

Lukhanyo Am is back and ready to rumble for the Springboks with him set to make his first appearance in the green and gold in almost a year when they take on Portugal at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday evening (kick-off 5pm).

Am hasn’t played for the Boks since injuring his knee in a World Cup warm-up match against Argentina in Buenos Aires in August last year, which saw him miss out on selection for the World Cup.

He was, however, called up into the World Cup squad as a replacement for Makazole Mapimpi during the competition, but didn’t feature in any games as the Boks lifted the Webb Ellis Cup for the fourth time.

Increased competition

A shoulder injury saw Am unavailable for the Boks’ first game of the season against Wales, before he was passed fit for the Irish series, but was again unused with Jesse Kriel preferred, having arguably become the Boks’ number one outside centre option during his absence.

Despite his struggles, Am was thrilled to be back in the mix and was looking to impress, especially with the increased competition in his position.

“The past 24 months at the Springboks has had its ups and downs in terms of injuries. I am really delighted to be back in the group and getting the opportunity to be playing again and excited to catch up with the new coaching style we want to play,” said Am.

“It’s part of the game, injuries do happen. It’s just working and getting back to where you were. I think me being here, it’s a good sign that I tried my best and gave myself the opportunity to get called up again.

“The one thing we’ve managed to do really well in the squad is have healthy competition and depth in the group.

“It keeps you accountable in bringing your A-game all the time, making sure you do your prep correctly and being the best version of yourself, in training and on game day. So, it’s really good for individuals and for the team.”

Am will have an important role to play in this weekend’s clash with him one of the senior leaders in a squad featuring seven debutants and seven players with under 10 Bok caps, but he is confident that the new players will bring the energy against Portugal.

Fresh blood

“The nice thing about having fresh blood in the squad is the energy. I think the guys bring the energy, they slotted in nicely and there is a lot of excitement in the group,” explained Am.

“We also understand that we are a new group, individually and in terms of uncapped players, and also the structure we are trying to play. There is a lot of excitement in the group, there will be nerves from the uncapped players and guys with small caps, but we will look past that.”

The Boks have also been slowly changing their game since the arrival of new attack coach Tony Brown and Am admitted that it is taking some time for them to get used to it, but that they were catching on and would eventually click.

“We’ve always tried to evolve our game. We are still trying to master the style of play and grow in the attacking style of play. So for me having my first outing, I’m looking forward to being involved in the attacking style of rugby that we want to play,” said Am.

“We’ve only played three games, it will click at some point. It’s something that is going to need action on the field and cohesion on attack. It will take time but I think the sooner we gel and click we will be a dangerously attacking team.”