Sharks captain Lukhanyo Am has signed a deal with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers to spend a short stint in Japan before returning to the Sharks.

The Sharks on Thursday announced that Am had signed a new three-year deal with the team that will keep him in Durban until 2025.

As part of his new deal with the Sharks, Am has been granted a brief sojourn from his commitments with the team, as he takes up a short-term stint at Kobe Steelers in Japan for two months from next week.

The two-month stint does ensure that Am will be back in time for the Vodacom United Rugby Championship playoffs, should the Sharks progress to the qualifiers.

In Am’s absence, World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will take over the captaincy role. Kolisi will be supported by prop Thomas du Toit, who is a key and respected leader in the Sharks team.

“Building a world-class squad that fights for success and performs with distinction is all about identifying talent, recruiting where necessary and, above all, retaining your top players,” explained Sharks CEO Eduard Coetzee.

“We are thrilled that Lukhanyo has thrown his full support behind what we at the Sharks are trying to achieve and he has committed his substantial abilities and player excellence to the Sharks for the next three years. His contribution to the Sharks has been phenomenal and we look forward with eager anticipation to the next few years with him as an integral member of the team.

“At the Sharks, we want to provide our players with opportunities, be it bringing in new players or those already in the system,” Coetzee added.

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