A product of Boland in the Western Cape, Erich Kankowski attended Picketberg High School, where he captained the 1^st XV. First representing his province at the age of 16, he was also identified as one of the top 50 players in South Africa, when he formed part of the SARU High Performance Unit. He went on to earn selection for Boland in the U18 Craven Week, but an injury unfortunately meant that he couldn’t attend the tournament.

Despite this, the Cell C Sharks still signed the aggressive young hooker, and he moved to Durban in time for the U19 Currie Cup in 2015. Kankowski moved up to the U21 Currie Cup team, before enjoying a taste of senior professional rugby with his home province, the Boland Kavaliers. Perfectly suited to the intensity of the French game, Erich moved to Fédérale 1 outfit in the 2018/19 season. Starting nine of his thirteen appearances, the 23-year-old is known to show maturity beyond his years, providing leadership and a steadying hand at the set piece. An abrasive ball-carrier who refuses to go to ground, Kankowski has the skillset of a fourth backrower, crucial in the modern game.