Allegations of Racial Insult Surface Against Bongi Mbonambi in South Africa’s World Cup Victory against England

South Africa’s Bongi Mbonambi Accused of Using Racial Slur Towards England Flanker Tom Curry

In a surprising turn of events during South Africa’s Rugby World Cup semi-final win against England, accusations have arisen against South African player Bongi Mbonambi for using a racial slur towards English flanker Tom Curry.

Curry took immediate action by approaching referee Ben O’Keeffe around the 30-minute mark of the match to report the alleged comment and seek guidance on how to respond. However, O’Keeffe simply replied with “Nothing please,” leaving Curry in an uncertain position.

The protocols state that England has 36 hours after the final whistle to refer such incidents to the citing commissioner. This could potentially lead to a disciplinary hearing for Mbonambi if found guilty. As Saturday’s match kicked off at 20:00 BST, England must report back to World Rugby by Monday morning.

When asked about whether something inappropriate had been said to him by Mbonambi after the match, Curry confirmed it but expressed his desire not to dwell on it further.

The tensions between both teams continued even after the final whistle when it appeared that Mbonambi refused to shake hands with Curry. These actions reflect ongoing acrimony between them.

Sanctions regarding on-field verbal abuse are seldom seen in rugby union; however, past cases exist as reference points. For instance, England prop Joe Marler was banned for two games in 2016 for a comment made towards Wales’ Samson Lee, and South African Jacques Potgieter was fined for an on-field homophobic slur during a Super Rugby game in 2015.

It is worth mentioning that Mbonambi currently holds the position of the only specialist hooker in the South Africa squad since Malcolm Marx’s injury led to his replacement with fly-half Handre Pollard earlier in the tournament. Deon Fourie, who has transitioned from back row, serves as cover off the replacements bench.

The stage is now set for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and New Zealand, where both teams aim to secure their record fourth title. The outcome remains uncertain as this race for glory unfolds.