Springboks’ player Bongi Mbonambi is trending again after World Rugby revealed that they are investigating him for another incident between him and Tom Curry.
BONGI MBONAMBI: ‘OFF-THE-BALL INCIDENT’
Daily Mail reports that World Rugby is investigating an off-the-ball incident between Springboks Bongi Mbonambi and England’s Tom Curry.
The alleged incident happened before Curry complained to referee Ben O’Keeffe, where he accused Mbonambi of a racial slur.
The publication adds that the exchange which is now being investigated by the authorities was not part of that passage of play.
It is believed Curry’s complaint came after a comment made when the ball had gone out of play.
Mbonambi was accused by England’s Tom Curry of using a racial slur during the team’s Rugby World Cup semi-finals where the Boks won the game 16-15.
Springboks’ fans who watched the footage on social media argue that the 32-year-old South African player was merely shouting the Afrikaans phrase ‘wit kant’, which means ‘white side’, referencing the England team.
The Citizen reported on Tuesday that the Springboks hooker, Mbonambi trained with the Boks on Monday ahead of the Rugby World Cup final against the All Blacks on Saturday.
SPINGBOKS’ FANS DEFEND SA PLAYER
While World Rugby confirmed they had launched an investigation into the Tom Curry and Bongi Mbonambi episode, Springboks fans Rugby fans on social media revealed it’s normal for the Boks to speak to each other in Afrikaans, and this is not racial abuse.
@LeAntagonist said: “I think they just wanted to cause an issue knowing how important Bongi is with no proper hooker replacement.”
@Justvibing_02: “I hope you guys are ashamed. The English and the Dutch brought apartheid to our nation. Then you have the unmitigated gall to accuse a black man of racist against a white player. His crime, understanding and speaking a derivative of Dutch.”
@hannok74: “I hear someone shouting to teammates something like “kom die kant” or “kyk die kant”. I don’t hear noting sounding like “wyd” or “wit”. Me thinks curry heard “kant” and then made the rest up.”
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