Hollywoodbets Sharks director of rugby Neil Powell has confirmed that Springbok World Cup winning centre and franchise captain Lukhanyo Am will miss Friday night’s EPCR Challenge Cup final against Gloucester.
However, while the Sharks will miss Am’s experience and leadership, there was a slither of good news when it comes to the potential midfield crisis that appeared to be brewing when several centres were all injured at the same time, with Ethan Hooker among the players given a clean bill of health for the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (kick-off Friday 21.00).
Hooker has been out of action for a couple of weeks after making a pleasing start to his Sharks career in March and his ankle injury made him touch and go for the game at the start of the buildup week. But Powell confirmed in an online press conference from the team base in London that Hooker will be available for selection.
“Lukhanyo is going to be out for a while. I am not sure about the extent of his injury,” said Powell, who said he was struggling with both a shoulder problem and a fractured rib and will not be playing again during either the URC or Challenge Cup season.
“It’s always a big loss to not have your national players and also your captain. Lukhanyo has been really good for us this season. In knockout games, you want your senior players to be available. So it is a bit of a big loss for us. (But) I think we have capable replacements. Ethan Hooker has done well to put up his hand and show that he can play at this level.”
Hooker has played both inside and outside centre for the Sharks but is likely to slot into the No 13 jersey as a direct replacement for Am, while Francois Venter, who missed the game against Benetton after withdrawing at the 11th hour, is also back in the selection mix and would be a good fit at inside centre.
Powell confirmed further good news when he stated that both the double World Cup winning forwards who joined Am in leaving the field in the first half of the Benetton game at Hollywoodbets Kings Park 10 days, Eben Etzebeth and Vincent Koch, are fit and ready to play in the final.
That partially offsets the bad news about Am as well as Jaden Hendrikse, who has been sidelined since sustaining an injury against the Scarlets in Llanelli the week before the Challenge Cup semifinal against Clermont-Auvergne.
The Sharks team for Friday’s final will be announced on Thursday.
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