Lukhanyo Am says he’s ready to play, but will he face France?

After rejoining the Springboks as an injury replacement for Makazole Mapimpi, centre Lukhanyo Am has emphatically said he is loaded and ready to “to do the job” if he is called on to play in the upcoming quarter-final against France on Sunday.

Am suffered a knee injury in the team’s RWC warm-up match against Argentina in Buenos Aires early in August, but he has recovered fully, and has been in high spirits since joining his team-mates at their training base in France.

However, it remains to be seen whether Am is really fit enough to be considered for selection in the starting line-up, particularly considering he hasn’t played all that much Test rugby over the last 18 months.

In fairness, Jesse Kriel has also fared more than capably in the absence of Am, and it would be a massive call to now make a change at 13.

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“It’s a good feeling to be back,” said Am. “It’s special to be part of this group. It was frustrating being injured and to have to follow the World Cup from home. It was as though something you love is taken away from you.

“But I’ve been working hard and I’m very fortunate to have been called up to the squad.”

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LUKHANYO AM KEEN FOR ACTION

Am may not have played rugby since suffering the injury which ruled him out of Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber’s initial 33-man RWC squad, but he says he has been putting in the hard yards on the training field.

“I’ve been working hard on my running and getting my fitness levels as high as possible in the last few weeks, especially given the demands of international rugby,” said Am.

“Training is obviously not the same as playing a game, but I knew it was vital to keep up to speed to be ready in case I received the call. When you are on standby you have to be loaded at all times and ready, so I made sure I was switched on mentally and ensured that I was ready physically as well.”

Am added: “The mental side is the most important in a situation such as that. But I’ve been cleared to play, I’m fit, and if I make the match 23 in the next match, I’ll be ready to do the job for the team. It’s my responsibility to get back into the swing of things as quickly as possible and to be ready to slot into the team if I’m called upon to do so.”

ALSO READ: Springboks v France: Three huge quarter-final selection decisions!

THE FULL RUGBY WORLD CUP LINE-UP IS AS FOLLOWS (ALL SA TIME):

Saturday, 14 October

QF1 – 17:00: Wales v Argentina – Stade de Marseille
QF2 – 21:00: Ireland v New Zealand – Stade de France, Saint Denis

Sunday, 15 October

QF3 – 17:00: England v Fiji – Stade de Marseille
QF4 – 21:00: France v South Africa – Stade de France, Saint Denis

RWC 2027

Teams qualified for RWC 2027 in Australia are: Argentina, Australia, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Wales

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