Lukhanyo Am is South African rugby’s best outside centre

Mark Keohane’s Independent Media’s Rants and Raves for IOL Sport, following Super Rugby’s 8th Round.

TOP RAVE:

Please stay fit for the World Cup Lukhanyo Am. Pretty please! Am is the best outside centre (No 13) in South African rugby. He was imposing and impossible to keep in check against the Lions. The Sharks midfielder broke the line twice, beat five defenders, advanced 80 metres with the ball on attack and completed a wonderful attacking night with a try. It was beautiful to watch.

TOP RANT:

The Stormers were a joke in Brisbane. I am sick and tired of hearing how positive each defeat is for the Cape-based franchise.

When they lost 24-9 to the Blues and failed to score a try, coach Robbie Fleck described the match as the team’s best of the year and said he wasn’t concerned about the lack of tries. Fleck, who in 12 matches in charge of the Stormers in New Zealand, never won, again looked to deflect the low of defeat against the Reds in Brisbane. Fleck will leave the Stormers at the end of the season after four years of failure. Nowhere in the world are coaches rewarded more for mediocrity than in South African Super Rugby. He should be gone now.

For the rest of the weekend’s Rants and Raves visit IOL