Sharks midfield combination a treat
When a new broom sweeps through at national level, local rugby folk tend to focus on individuals.
Who is going to be Rassie Erasmus’ Springbok captain?
Who’ll fill the troublesome fullback position?
Ironically, Sharks centre Lukhanyo Am is one of those players as his accomplished showings in Super Rugby have led to numerous calls that he needs to be included in the national side when England visit in June. However, in the rush to identify key individuals, the value of established combinations tend to be neglected. And that’s where Am also shows his worth.
When the 24-year-old and his midfield partner Andre Esterhu- izen were picked together in 2017, they immediately made an impression.
Esterhuizen, a strapping man mountain hailing from Klerksdorp, is the enforcer – a robust inside centre who loves to take contact.
Outside him is Am, the clever and reliable playmaker with a diverse set of skills.
It was noticeable how the Sharks found the going tougher when the duo weren’t present together last year. But 2018 has already been a treat.
Am, brimming with confidence after his belated Springbok debut late last year, has found a nose for the tryline and is running superb angles on attack while still tackling with vigour.
Meanwhile, Esterhuizen has been a revelation since returning from Japan, making the second most linebreaks to date and adding a more refined, effective way of off-loading in the tackle. He is no crash-baller anymore.
But the point here is that the two players clearly bring the best out of each other and that’s refreshing amid all the focus on individual players.
“This is a combination that has played together for a bit and like all great combinations they’ve needed time,” said Sharks coach Robert du Preez out of Canberra, where the Durbanites are preparing for Saturday’s meeting with the Brumbies.
“Andre and Lukhanyo have really complemented each other and both are great ball players who are defensively sound. They will only get better as the season goes on.”