Springboks shut down questions about Mbonambi

Springbok hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi.
Photo: AFP

South Africa’s rugby representatives tried to dampen down controversy around alleged discriminatory behaviour and verbal abuse by hooker Bongi Mbonambi.

Team representatives cut off questions about World Rugby’s investigation at a media conference today.

World Rugby is formally reviewing an allegation that Mbonambi directed a racial slur at England’s Tom Curry in a World Cup semi-final on 22 October, where South Africa secured a 16-15 win to set up a final against New Zealand.

South Africa sent scrum coach Daan Human and two locks, Jean Kleyn and Marvin Orie, who are unlikely to feature in this weekend’s decider at the Stade de France, to answer questions in today’s media conference.

None of the representatives would be drawn on the allegations against Mbonambi, 32.

Persistent questions about Mbonambi’s character were cut short, but not before Human called Mbonambi a key player for the Springboks.

“Bongi has been part of our squad for the last six years now and an important piece of our puzzle – he’s very important to us. He’s definitely one of the leaders. And a great, great guy, great family man, very humble guy down to earth. Very hard worker, like all the other players,” Human said.

The coach said he had not been part of any discussions about the controversy.

“But he’s a calm guy actually, a calm guy … no, no, it’s really not a big thing. I don’t want to actually go into it, because we’ve got a World Cup final in six days’ time.”

South Africa rugby officials then stopped any more questions about Mbonambi.

Rugby’s governing body said earlier: “World Rugby takes all allegations of discriminatory behaviour extremely seriously.

“We can confirm that we are formally reviewing the allegation made by England’s Tom Curry in relation to the use of discriminatory language during the England versus South Africa Rugby World Cup semi-final.”

Mbongeni Mbonambi of South Africa with the ball during the World Cup semi-final against England.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

South African Rugby said on Monday they had launched their own internal investigation and that they were “reviewing the available evidence”.

Audio and video footage posted on social media shows Curry complaining to referee Ben O’Keeffe, although no action was taken and the alleged slur was not heard.

Curry confirmed an incident when questioned by reporters afterwards, but refused to say what had been said.

England coach Steve Borthwick also refused to comment on the allegation after the game.

If found guilty, Mbonambi could be suspended, which would be a huge blow to the Boks ahead of the final.

He is the only specialist hooker in the squad, after they replaced the injured Malcolm Marx with first five-eighth Handre Pollard, who kicked the winning penalty against England.

Regular loose forwards Deon Fourie and Marco van Staden are the other hooker options in the squad, but it would be a tall order to ask them to scrum for 80 minutes against a pack as accomplished as New Zealand’s.

-Reuters