Hungry Lukhanyo Am back as Sharks welcome confrontational Connacht at the Tank

The Sharks have brought back one of their two-time World Cup-winning Springboks, Lukhanyo Am, for what is expected to be a confrontational United Rugby Champions (URC) battle with Connacht this weekend.   

The winless Sharks play their first home game of the URC season against the Irish side at Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Saturday (5pm).   

The Sharks have had a tough start to the campaign, losing all four games during their European tour and they will be eager to get off the mark and not disappoint, especially in front of their fans.   

Am is the only Springbok player released to take part in the URC and will start at outside centre.   

He was initially not part of the Boks squad for the world showpiece in France because of injury, but joined the team later as a replacement for Sharks teammate Makazole Mapimpi who was injured.   

However, Am didn’t feature in any of the games in the World Cup and that is likely the reason he has been allowed to play.   

As he has not played after being injured during a World Cup warm-up game against Argentina in August, Sharks assistant coach Joey Mongalo said Am is hungry for game time and they are confident his return will inspire the team to go all out against Connacht.   

“Lukhanyo has been with us longer than the other Springboks. He has trained a few times, so he is quite connected to what we are doing. He