Lukhanyo Am

Lukhanyo Am is one of the most accomplished centres of South Africa’s modern rugby era. Born and raised in the Eastern Cape, Am took an unconventional route into professional rugby before becoming a Springbok, a Rugby World Cup winner and one of the most highly regarded centres in world rugby.

Early life

Lukhanyo Am was born on 28 November 1993 in King William’s Town, now known as Qonce, in the Eastern Cape. He grew up in the nearby township of Zwelitsha, where he was raised by his mother, Zukiswa.

Am came from a community and family where soccer was more popular than rugby. His mother initially encouraged him to consider football, but rugby had already captured his imagination.

From a young age, Am dreamed of wearing the green and gold of the Springboks.

He attended Hoërskool De Vos Malan in King William’s Town, a school that was not regarded as one of South Africa’s traditional rugby powerhouses. Unlike many future Springboks, Am did not attend an elite rugby school or play at Craven Week level.

He initially played lock, but eventually moved to centre during his youth career.

Finding his path into professional rugby

Because he did not come through the traditional elite-school rugby system, Am had to find another route into professional rugby.

After school, he spent time at the Gladiators Rugby Academy in Margate, where he continued developing his game.

He was subsequently picked up by the Border Bulldogs and became part of their successful under-19 programme. The team won the 2012 Under-19 Provincial Championship Division B title and earned promotion to Division A.

Am's performances began attracting attention beyond the Eastern Cape.

In 2013, he was given the opportunity to spend part of his pre-season with English club Saracens through a rugby exchange programme involving the South African Rugby Union and British High Commission.

It was another important step in a career that was beginning to move beyond his hometown.

Border Bulldogs, Falcons and Southern Kings

Am made his senior professional debut for the Border Bulldogs in 2013 in the Vodacom Cup.

He subsequently spent a season with the Falcons before returning to the Border Bulldogs.

In 2016, he joined the Southern Kings, making his Super Rugby debut that year.

His performances for the Kings helped establish him as one of the country's emerging midfield talents.

Later in 2016, Am joined the Sharks, where his career would reach another level.

Becoming a Sharks star

At the Sharks, Am developed into a powerful and intelligent outside centre.

He became known for his exceptional defensive positioning, strong tackling, passing ability and calm decision-making.

His performances eventually earned him a place in the Springbok setup.

He would go on to become a key player for the Sharks and later captain the franchise.

Springbok debut

Am made his Springbok debut against Wales on 2 December 2017, coming off the bench in Cardiff.

He quickly became a regular in the national side and established an impressive midfield partnership with Damian de Allende.

The combination of Am's vision and distribution with de Allende's physicality became an important part of the Springboks' success under coach Rassie Erasmus.

The 2019 Rugby World Cup

The defining moment of Am's career came at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

South Africa entered the tournament under Erasmus and progressed through the knockout stages before reaching the final against England.

On 2 November 2019, the Springboks defeated England 32-12 in Yokohama to win their third Rugby World Cup.

Am was one of the standout performers of the tournament.

But one moment in the final became particularly iconic.

The pass that made history

During the second half of the final, Am found space and delivered a perfectly timed pass to Makazole Mapimpi, who crossed the line to score.

The try was historic.

Mapimpi became the first South African to score a try in a Rugby World Cup final.

Am could arguably have attempted to finish the move himself, but instead chose to put his teammate into space.

The moment came to symbolise Am's unselfish approach to rugby and became one of the most memorable images of South Africa's 2019 triumph.

The Springboks eventually lifted the Webb Ellis Cup after defeating England.

Am had gone from an unconventional rugby background in the Eastern Cape to becoming a Rugby World Cup champion.

Leadership role

Am's performances and personality also saw him take on greater leadership responsibilities.

He became Sharks captain and regularly served as a senior member of the Springbok squad and vice-captain to Siya Kolisi.

His leadership style was generally understated. Rather than being the loudest player in the room, Am earned respect through his preparation, consistency and performances on the field.

Injury heartbreak

Am's career suffered a major setback in 2023.

He sustained a serious knee injury against Argentina during the Rugby Championship in August, ruling him out of the Springboks' initial Rugby World Cup squad.

It was a devastating blow because Am had been an important part of South Africa's plans for the defence of their world title.

The Springboks went on to win the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, defeating New Zealand 12-11 in the final.

Although Am was unable to play in the tournament, he was part of the wider Springbok squad and became a two-time Rugby World Cup winner.

A career beyond South Africa

After years with the Sharks, Am also had an opportunity to play overseas.

He spent part of 2022 with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan, gaining experience in Japanese professional rugby.

In 2025, he moved to Japan permanently, joining the Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars after leaving the Sharks.

The move represented another chapter in a career that had already taken him from a small Eastern Cape township to some of the biggest rugby stadiums in the world.

Playing style

Am is renowned for his intelligence and composure.

Rather than relying solely on physical strength, he is particularly effective because of his ability to read the game.

His strengths include:

• Excellent defensive organisation
• Powerful tackling
• Accurate passing
• Strong running ability
• Tactical awareness
• Ability to create opportunities for teammates
• Calmness under pressure

He is primarily an outside centre, although he has also played on the wing.

Legacy

Am's story is particularly significant because he did not follow the traditional route into elite South African rugby.

He did not attend a famous rugby school. He did not play Craven Week. He did not emerge from one of the country's traditional rugby academies.

Instead, he built his career through Zwelitsha, De Vos Malan, the Border Bulldogs, the Southern Kings and the Sharks.

His persistence eventually took him to the Springboks.

And once he arrived, he became one of the key figures in one of the most successful periods in South African rugby history.

He was part of the 2019 World Cup-winning team, played a starring role in the final and later became a member of the squad that won the 2023 World Cup.

Lukhanyo Am: Quick facts

• Full name: Lukhanyo Am
• Born: 28 November 1993
• Birthplace: King William's Town, Eastern Cape
• Raised: Zwelitsha
• School: Hoërskool De Vos Malan, King William's Town
• Position: Centre
• Height: Approximately 1.86m
• Professional debut: Border Bulldogs, 2013
• Major clubs: Border Bulldogs, Falcons, Southern Kings, Sharks, Kobelco Kobe Steelers, Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
• Springbok debut: 2 December 2017
• Rugby World Cup titles: 2019 and 2023
• Most famous moment: The pass to Makazole Mapimpi for South Africa's first-ever World Cup-final try
• Nickname: LA

From Zwelitsha to the world

Lukhanyo Am's journey is a reminder that South Africa's rugby talent does not only come from famous schools and established rugby factories.

A young boy from Zwelitsha, who attended a school in King William's Town that was outside the country's traditional rugby elite, eventually became a Springbok and a two-time Rugby World Cup champion.

His route was unconventional, but his destination was the very top of world rugby.