Durban - After Lukhanyo Am crocked his knee against Australia in Adelaide last year, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber joked that “Lukhanyo on one leg is still Lukhanyo”, as he looked ahead to the second match against the Wallabies a week later in Sydney.
While Nienaber’s tongue was in his cheek, it was a comment that underlined the brilliant form Am enjoyed in 2022 before injuring knee ligaments in that unfortunate defeat at the Adelaide Oval.
Later that year, Am would be in Monaco as a nominee for the World Rugby Player of the Year, along with Antoine Dupont (France), Johnny Sexton (Ireland) and Josh van der Flier (Ireland).
The outside centre had been in sparkling form for the Boks in the series against Wales and in three matches in the Rugby Championship before the knee injury, and it is testimony to his commanding form in the No 13 jersey that he was in the running for the award (that went to Dupont) despite not having played a great deal of international rugby in 2022.
A concern for Nienaber is that Am has not scaled those same heights since making his comeback from that injury late last year, although in his first match back, the Sharks’ impressive away Champions Cup victory over Bordeaux, there were a few of his nifty offloads.
But overall, Am has not been himself for the Sharks in their disappointing campaigns in the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup.
Nienaber will have taken note, and the Springbok training camp in Durban this week – which starts on Wednesday – gives the coach the ideal opportunity to run the rule over one of the most important cogs in the Springbok team.
It could be that his knee is not 100% recovered – and it might also be the case that he simply has not had enough rugby.
The removal of the Boks from the URC for such a long period earlier this year might not have been wise for Am, in particular.
Following his knee injury on September 3 last year, Nienaber used Jesse Kriel at outside centre for six of the Boks’ remaining games of that year, the exception being the Test against Italy, when André Esterhuizen was given a chance at inside centre and Damian de Allende moved to No 13.
Kriel is solid and dependable, but I don’t think it is unfair to say that he does not possess the flair of Am when he is firing.
Last year, Am was especially good in the Boks’ two matches against the All Blacks in South Africa. He paraded his slick offloading skills, read the game well and expertly organised the defence.
The statistics for international rugby last year show that Am averaged 1.2 line-breaks per Test for the Springboks. It meant he was the only centre from a Tier 1 nation to have averaged more than one break per Test. He also averaged a total of 56m gained per Test.
When Am was nominated for the award, SA director of rugby Rassie Erasmus sung his praises.
“He’s just a really special player,” said Erasmus. “The first time that coach Jacques (Nienaber) and I saw him was at Border club trials (in 2016), and he stood out.
“He was head and shoulders above the rest. I think he was playing with a pair of takkies. He never had boots. We phoned an agent from there and told him to have a look at this guy as he wasn’t going to get exposure.
“It’s a pity he couldn’t showcase that talent on the end-of-year tour, but we’re very proud of him. He had to fight hard to get into teams and the structure to take you to the top.
“On the field, he is just a fantastic player.”
Am has played 31 Tests and scored six tries since making his Springbok debut in 2017.
He is already etched into Springbok history for his brilliant try assist for Makazole Mapimpi’s score in the 2019 World Cup final.
The challenge over the next four months (and six Springbok games) is to ensure that the 29-year-old strikes the same great form in France.
@MikeGreenaway67