An internal investigation into the Springboks has been opened against South African hooker Bongi Mbonambi due to an alleged racial insult towards Englishman Tom Curry during the semi-final of the Rugby World Cup on Saturday evening at the Stade de France. Mbonambi would have called his opponent a “white c***”.
South African hooker Bongi Mbonambi is the subject of an internal investigation at the Springboks for alleged racial insults towards Englishman Tom Curry during the semi-final of the Rugby World Cup on Saturday, South African management said on Sunday. During the match won by the Springboks (16-15) at the Stade de France, Mbonambi allegedly called Curry a “white c***”.
After about half an hour of play, the English flanker reported the facts to referee Ben O’Keeffe, asking him what he should say. “Nothing, please,” O’Keeffe told him. “We are aware of the allegation, which we take very seriously,” the South African rugby union said on Sunday, adding that it was “reviewing the available evidence”.
The English have only a few hours left to contact the rugby authorities
After the match, when asked if he had a problem with anything Mbonambi said, Curry replied: “yeah”, adding that “it (wasn’t) worth talking about”. The South African hooker appears to have refused to shake his hand at the final whistle. The English have until Monday morning to contact the rugby authorities.
Mbonambi is the only professional hooker in the South African squad since the injury to Malcom Marx, who was replaced numerically by flyhalf Handré Pollard. Sanctions are rarely taken against players for words spoken on the field. In 2016, the Englishman Joe Marler was however suspended two matches for comments addressed to the Welshman Samson Lee. The previous year, South African Jacques Potgieger was fined for a homophobic insult during a Super Rugby match. South Africa will face New Zealand on Saturday in an attempt to clinch a fourth world title.