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<\/p>\nBongi Mbonambi is being investigated for an alleged racial slur <\/p>\n
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South Africa players and coaches have defended Bongi Mbonambi as a \u201cgreat guy\u201d and a \u201cfamily man\u201d amid the Springboks hooker being investigated for an alleged racial slur during the Rugby World Cup semi-final win over England.<\/p>\n
England flanker Tom Curry has alleged that Mbonambi called him a \u201cwhite c***\u201d during the defeat in Paris on Saturday evening, as South Africa edged to a dramatic 16-15 victory<\/p>\n
After 23 minutes at the Stade de France, Curry could be heard on the referee\u2019s microphone alerting official Ben O\u2019Keeffe to a comment possibly made by Mbonambi at a ruck. <\/p>\n
\u201cSir, if their hooker calls me a white c***, what do I do?\u201d Curry inquired of O\u2019Keeffe. \u201cNothing, please,\u201d responded the official, before adding a few moments later, \u201cI\u2019ll be on it,\u201d in what may have been an unrelated comment. The alleged incident itself could not be heard on the television broadcast.<\/p>\n
World Rugby has since confirmed it is investigating the incident and will not be making any further comment until the conclusion of the process.<\/p>\n
On Monday afternoon, in the first Springboks media activity since the allegations became public, scrum coach Daan Human and lock Jean Kelyn defended Mbonambi\u2019s character, while refusing to comment on the specific incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s being dealt with by World Rugby and South Africa Rugby, so from my side, I can\u2019t comment,\u201d began Human when first asked about the incident. \u201cI\u2019m focussing on the scrums. We had a good, positive training session, and nothing else came out. I can\u2019t really comment on that.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Bongi Mbonambi is being investigated for an alleged racial slur <\/p>\n
However, when pushed on what Mbonambi is like as a person around the squad, Human was effusive in his praise of the front row.<\/p>\n
\u201cBongi has been part of this group for the last six years,\u201d added Human. \u201cHe\u2019s a very important piece of the puzzle for us. He was starting in the last World Cup and our semi-final, so he\u2019s very important to us, like all other players.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s one of our leaders in our group. He\u2019s a great guy, a family man, my kids always look after his kids when they come to the hotel. He\u2019s a humble guy, down to earth, like all players who play for the Springboks.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be straightforward and honest with you, he\u2019s a very calm guy, a well-spoken guy. I don\u2019t want to go into it because we\u2019ve got a World Cup final in six days\u2019 time. I\u2019m more concentrated on the forwards.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mbonambi is the only specialist hooker in the Springboks squad after the injured Malcolm Marx was replaced by fly half Handre Pollard earlier in the tournament.<\/p>\n
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Bongi Mbonambi played all 80 minutes of the Springboks\u2019 semi-final win <\/p>\n
He played all 80 minutes of the semi-final, and finished the game as captain once Siya Kolisi was substituted, although veteran back row Deon Fourie played hooker earlier in his career and flanker Marco van Staden has also filled in at the position in the past. So Human was unconcerned about South Africa being short-handed in the event of Mbonambi being found guilty and banned for the final.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got three guys capable of playing hooker in the group,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re very comfortable having three hookers. We\u2019re glad we have three hookers, which we\u2019re supposed to have because going into a final you need to have two hookers in the squad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lock Jean Kleyn was also asked about his relationship with Mbonambi, having played alongside him at club and international level, and was similarly glowing in his praise of the hooker.<\/p>\n
\u201cBongi is a great guy,\u201d stated Kleyn. \u201cI\u2019ve known him since we were playing at the Stormers together I think nine years ago. He\u2019s a fantastic guy, a good individual. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to comment on that or justify it [the allegations]. All I\u2019ll say is he\u2019s a fantastic bloke. He\u2019s a great guy, a passionate guy, a family man. He\u2019s captained the Springboks a couple of times and he\u2019s an upstanding guy, I don\u2019t think there\u2019s a fellow in the squad who doesn\u2019t like him.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Springboks face the All Blacks in the World Cup final at the Stade de France on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n