The Springboks camp has stated that they are not informed about any comments made by Bongi Mbonambi directed at England’s Tom Curry.
This comes in the wake of Curry’s allegation that Mbonambi used derogatory language during the Rugby World Cup semi-final, which was captured on the referee’s microphone and is currently being reported.
When questioned by reporters, Assistant coach Deon Davids denied any knowledge of the incident, stating, “I am not aware of any comment, it was never discussed. I don’t know.”
After the match, Mbonambi declined to shake Curry’s hand and left for the changing room. Curry, for his part, refused to provide further details about what was said, suggesting that it didn’t need to be discussed.
It’s worth noting that there had been previous confrontations between Curry and Mbonambi during last year’s Autumn Nations Series fixture, where they exchanged words and engaged in physical confrontations. It remains uncertain whether this previous incident contributed to the recent unpleasant exchange.
As of now, neither World Rugby, England, nor the Springboks camp have issued an official statement regarding this matter. England has until Monday morning to file a complaint, and an independent citing commissioner could also raise a complaint if there’s evidence that Mbonambi should be investigated.
South Africa is set to face New Zealand in the final at the Stade de France on October 28th and may be compelled to start Deon Fourie, who isn’t a specialist hooker, in the back row.
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