Bok only boosted his world player of the year credentials against the All Blacks
There were plenty of standout performances by South African players against the All Blacks last Saturday, with centre Lukhanyo Am putting in another world class performance at the Mbombela Stadium.
Though Malcolm Marx was rightfully named man of the match, the outside centre was not far behind as he put in yet another elite performance. This is what many Springboks fans are used to by now, as the 28-year-old is simply incapable of having a bad game, and as a result Am’s name is being thrown into the ring for World Rugby player of the year now.
His display against the All Blacks will only bolster his chances of winning the accolade at the end of the year. A highlights reel shared by TAS Analytics showed what a game the South African had and how well rounded he is.
The Sharks back got the assist for Kurt-Lee Arendse’s try, and made it look something that was incredibly hard look so simple. While being dragged to ground he had the composure to assess what was his best option before popping the ball up to his winger.
His defensive contribution did not go unnoticed either, as the video shows the number of times he spearheaded the Boks’ rush defence out wide, putting the All Blacks backs under huge amounts of pressure.
To top the performance off, he also showed that he can be a nuisance at the breakdown, winning a penalty late in the match with work at the ruck even Marx would have been proud of.
Am is set to start in the No13 again this weekend against New Zealand at Ellis Park, and back to back victories and high class performances against the All Blacks will not only go a long way in helping the Boks win the Rugby Championship, but will boost Am’s player of the year credentials immeasurably.
Take a look at the video:
