Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has explained the reasoning behind Lukhanyo Am’s switch to inside centre and his thinking around including Manie Libbok and Handre Pollard on the bench to face Australia.
Double World Cup winner Am returns to the starting XV for the second Test match against Australia but will be lining up in the Springboks’ number 12 jumper for the first time.
Am is set to earn his 37th Test cap on Saturday having made 34 appearances at 13 and twice came off the bench for South Africa.
Lukhanyo Am’s move to inside centre
However, the shift to inside centre won’t be completely foreign to the midfielder who actually started his professional career playing at 12 before moving out a channel when he joined Sharks.
He comes into the starting line-up in the place of Damian de Allende – who he has partnered in the centres on 28 occasions for the Springboks – and links up with Jesse Kriel for the first time.
Due to Andre Esterhuizen’s suspension following his red card against Portugal, De Allende was the only specialist number 12 in the squad but Erasmus explained that the Bok bruiser had to be rested.
“The first thing is we want to win the Test match and Damian has been playing a lot of minutes and we want to manage guys and keep them fresh,” the Bok boss said.
“Test match level is different but when Lukhanyo started his career he only played 12 and moved to 13 when he joined the Sharks and he has also played wing for us. But he certainly did really well for us when we went down to 14 men against Portugal where he played inside centre.
“We wanted to change the team up but also don’t want to lose momentum in the system and Jesse [Kriel] has been excellent on defence and attack in the 13 channel and Lukhanyo was really good against Portugal.
“To put it plainly, Damian needs the rest not just because of the minutes he has played but also because of how he plays – really physically. We can’t expect him to play 14 Test matches in a row like that.”
More options in the Springboks squad
Another intriguing selection call for Saturday’s match is in on the bench where Erasmus has not only opted for a more traditional 5-3 split in favour of the forwards but has also included two fly-halves in Libbok and Pollard.
It’s the second match in a row that Pollard features from the bench after starting both Tests at fly-half against Ireland in July, but Erasmus revealed that the coaches now consider the double World Cup winner as an option at inside centre – the position he came off the bench in last week.
“Obviously, Andre Esterhuizen is not available and if everything goes to plan then Handre will slot in at 12 because we also have Manie on the bench,” Erasmus added.
“We do see Handre as a possible 12 but then again, Andre will be back in two weeks’ time, but Lukhanyo also looks really comfortable and he gives us another option there.”