BREAKING: No Lukhanyo Am for Springboks

Coach Jacques Nienaber named the Springboks lineup for the quarter-final showdown against Les Bleus at the Stade de France and interestingly enough Am is one of those you’ve been overlooked.

Am, who replaced the injured Makazole Mapimpi in the squad, was billed to slot straight back into the starting lineup or at least make the bench, but when the team was announced moments ago, his name was absent.

Instead, Jesse Kriel starts at outside centre alongside inside centre Damian de Allende.

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WHAT THE COACH HAD TO SAY

“Most of these players have Rugby World Cup experience and several of them were involved in the 2019 final, so they know what it takes to perform in big moments,” said Nienaber.

“Twenty of these players were also in the matchday squad that played France in Marseille last season, which was a good dress rehearsal for what we can expect from France and their supporters.”

SPRINGBOKS TEAM

Springboks – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 Willie le Roux.