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SA Rugby issue 120-word statement on Bongi Mbonambi findings

Tom Curry of England clashes with Bongi Mbonambi of South Africa during the Autumn International match between England and South Africa at Twickenham Stadium on November 26, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

SA Rugby have welcomed the drawing to a close of the World Rugby investigation into Bongi Mbonambi in a 120-word statement. The union have said they had absolute faith in Mbonambi’s version of events from the outset.

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World Rugby’s decision to close its investigation into the alleged racist slur directed at Tom Curry by Mbonambi due to insufficient evidence broke this morning.

Curry claimed to referee Ben O’Keeffe in the second quarter of England’s World Cup semi-final defeat by South Africa on Saturday that he had been called a ā€œwhite c***ā€ by hooker Mbonambi.

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In an unexpected development, the RFU revealed that it disclosed to the inquiry that Curry ā€œhad also been the victim of the same abuse, from the same playerā€ when the rivals clashed at Twickenham last November.

World Rugby announced it has been unable to find evidence of either incident, but the RFU insists the case should have been presented to an independent disciplinary hearing.

Unlike the RFU, SA Rugby welcomed the findings.

ā€œSA Rugby has noted World Rugby’s announcement concerning their investigation into an incident arising from the Rugby World Cup semi-final and welcomes the decision that no further action will be taken.

ā€œAny form of racism is abhorrent to SA Rugby and the Springbok team whose purpose is to do everything in its power to assist in uniting our diverse and multicultural nation.

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ā€œBongi Mbonambi is an experienced, respected and decorated Test player and, needless to say, denied the allegations from the outset. SA Rugby has absolute faith in the honesty and integrity of Bongi.

ā€œThe team’s focus remains, as it has throughout the week, on Saturday’s match against New Zealand.

ā€œSA Rugby will make no further comment on the matter.ā€

The RFU have alleged that Mbonambi had made a similar slur last year during the Autumn Nations Series.

ā€œThe subsequent World Rugby investigation were informed by Tom Curry that he had also been the victim of the same abuse, from the same player, in the 2022 autumn Test. World Rugby have today announced their decision not to bring charges in respect of either incident,ā€ read their statement this morning, which you can read in full in the below link.

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additional reporting PA

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Comments

50 Comments
S
Sumkunn Tsadmiova 576 days ago

Must be difficult for Faf de Klerk. He played with Tom Curry at Sale for several years and knows him to be a decent man of his word. And now he has to wear the same jersey…

D
DO 576 days ago

He knows Bongi far better…

M
Mark 576 days ago

The very best thing curry could have done at the time was to give Mbonambi a proper smack in the mouth.

Job done.

J
JD 576 days ago

Hate to think what Curry would have looked like if he’d tried that

S
Sumkunn Tsadmiova 576 days ago

probably improve his looks as well…..

D
DO 576 days ago

If Curry hit Bongi in the mouth he'd be off on a stretcher before he knew what happened.

D
Davic 576 days ago

Give Bongi a smack in the mouth ? Curry would miss. Didn't he say that he was not aiming for the Argentinian’s head when he was red carded or was he lying ?

M
Melissa 577 days ago

This is stupid... The boks speak Afrikaans to one another. Guy definitely misheard. šŸ˜‚

H
Hans 577 days ago

🤣🤣

B
Bob Marler 577 days ago

yawn

J
JD 576 days ago

Exactly. Well said.

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RS 577 days ago

Ha Ha the Boks are winners. Victory number one, no defamation, victory number two, see Saturday. Ag please daddy, take us to the ball game! All five, six, seven of us!

p
paul 577 days ago

Big shoutout to the RFU for helping the ABs with their odds of a win in the weekend. Great distraction for the bok camp. Couple of 1 point wins and a racial issue and these boys will be nicely mentally fatigued.

G
Graham 576 days ago

Which is exactly why it will take the NH at least another 20 years to win the WC. For the Springboks I can assure you. The main thing is the main thing. England, France, Ireland all get distracted by peripheral issues. This will affect England in the losers play-off far more than it will affect the `Boks who, believe me have not even muttered one sentence about it.

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RD 577 days ago

Don’t worry Paul we Saffa’s are used to all type’s of controversies where we come from, not the first in Rugby, the week before Reinach received death threads, last WC Eben Etsebeth was also accused of racism after they had a dinner out with friends before leaving for the WC. So nothing new for the Boks we also know other then Africa the rest of the World wants AB’s to win. This is what sets the Saffa’s and Boks apart from other nations and makes us stronger together. We have many cultures in SA and that is what makes us what we are, resilient never die never give up human beings, this is why the last two games, was it any other side including AB’s they would have lost those games, but not the Boks, I can’t explain it unless you are a Saffa. We either go Big or go home and this the reason for 7/1 split it takes big balls to do this in a final.

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tom 577 days ago

Think again

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JL 577 days ago

Quite stunning that the RFU openly defamed Bongi in response. Hope this continues to distract the Bokkies. ABs by 20+

W
Wayne 577 days ago

The ABs skill factor will shine through no doubt.

t
tom 577 days ago

Think again

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Wayne 577 days ago

ā€˜The subsequent World Rugby investigation were informed by Tom Curry that he had also been the victim of the same abuse, from the same player, in the autumn Test 2022. So Bongi has got away with it again. This stinks of a cover up

D
Davic 576 days ago

Or that Curry is a habitual liar ?

t
tom 577 days ago

Hey Wayne, can you provide proof please?

K
KM 577 days ago

But surely it cannot just stop here? Can anyone make an accusation, and then when no proof is found, life goes on as if nothing happened? Surely the accuser (whatever he believes or imagines) should accept the ā€œjudge’sā€ decision and make some statement to clear the accused’s name. I mean, can one without any evidence just accuse somebody of racism like that? Here in South Africa, this is a really fckng serious matter. Does Curry realise that?

D
DO 576 days ago

Your logic goes both ways mate - there is no evidence that Curry is lying either. So they can’t clear his name, an accusation has been made, there no proof that it did or didn't happen…and those are the facts, end of story. Also, it is not a big deal in SA at all - he was accused of calling him a ā€œwhite c*ntā€ā€¦you're allowed to do that in SA…students have worn T shirts at UCT that say ā€œkill all white peopleā€ā€¦nothing happened to them…political leaders sing songs calling for killing of Afrikaans farmers…nothing happens to them. So no, it's not serious in SA at all unless the victim is black. In SA the government does not see everyone the same.

R
RD 577 days ago

Kwasi not in the UK those poms sleep with their mothers

W
Wesley 577 days ago

There could even be a legal case for defamation, dont think Boks could be bothered right now, bigger fish to fry

G
GG 577 days ago

I suggest that after last 2 games of rugby, Bongi and Tom have a dinner together and sort this out like adults. Most people in the world have differed with someone at some stage, and sitting down and sharing a meal, often find they are actually both good people. Paris has many superb restaurants, and behaving like mature adults will go a long way to sorting this out. Leaving it to WR and all the social media sites is only going to make it worse. Suggest you both grow up and do the right thing.

B
Briain 577 days ago

I doubt you would suggest the same if the accused and accusor swapped roles

t
tom 577 days ago

Gerald šŸ˜‚ would love you to tell them to grow up to their face

S
Sumkunn Tsadmiova 577 days ago

Difficult. Tom doesn’t go out with hookers…..

D
David 577 days ago

Vamos Los Pumas

L
LC 577 days ago

Regardless of the outcome in such moments, it’s often worthwhile considering the situation if the roles were reversed. If Mbonambi made the accusation, as a South African, I would want him to be heard and taken seriously. If it turns out to be a misunderstanding, then so be it, but I would still want it to be okay to express his version of things without fear of backlash. I would likewise be horrified, as I was last week regarding Cobus Reinach if people went after Mbonambi’s family.


On the flip side, if Tom Curry were the one being accused, I’m sure my fellow English fans would want him to be given a fair shake, being innocent until proven guilty and not thrown to the courts of popular opinion. I’m also sure you would be horrified at the prospect of him being sanctioned without evidence.


Let’s put this aside and enjoy what will most likely be a fantastic weekend of rugby. Good luck to all the teams involved!

J
JL 577 days ago

I think that creates a false equivalence. What is ā€œracistā€ about a black person calling white person, ā€œwhite.ā€ Since when is being called ā€œwhiteā€ or a ā€œwhiteā€ ā€œanythingā€ ā€œracist? Whites have done quite well for themselves so when called a White C, the response should be, don’t call me a C, but I don’t understand why it is such a shocking thing to be called ā€œWhiteā€ in that context. Is there a history of discrimination against whites? Are whites marginalised? Are whites currently structurally discriminated against? Do Blacks think that they are racially superior to whites? Flip it around, and you dredge up the long history of white on black racism starting with slavery, eugenics, segregation etc. So I’m sorry to say, you can’t compare the two. People in SA are making light of this matter because no serious person believes calling an Englishman a White C constitutes ā€œracial abuse.ā€ Racialised maybe, but not racist or racist abuse. It’s laughable. And hate to say it, but judging by how the English media has behaved in this case, it’s certainly not inaccurate to make use of the C word. Bongi is on the right Kant of history.

A
AF 577 days ago

Time to move on

P
Poe 577 days ago

If world rugby and the RFU can't agree a story they need to go back to the process. They’ve served up nonsense with this half assed bs.

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