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Tom Curry and Bongi Mbonambi incident has become a running joke in SA
By Ian Cameron
Allegations made during the final week of the Rugby World Cup against Springboks Bongi Mbonambi have become something of a running joke back in South Africa.
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Curry claimed to referee Ben O’Keeffe in the first half of the Springboks versus England World Cup semi-final on October 21st that he had been called a “white c***” by Mbonambi.
The Rugby Football Union subsequently disclosed to the inquiry that Curry “had also been the victim of the same abuse, from the same player” when the rivals clashed at Twickenham in November 2022.
World Rugby did not take charges further against the hooker due to a lack of evidence and he went on to play in the Rugby World Cup final.
One of the main explanations for what Mbonambi might have said was that he was speaking Afrikaans and said ‘wit kant’ – which translates as ‘white side’. It quickly became a running gag online, with memes making light of the similarities of the wording and using it to mischievous effect.
The digital tomfoolery has now made the transition to the real world. Upon the return of the Boks to South African soil, many shirts have been adorned with some variation of the ‘kant’ word.
The Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, was photographed with a t-shirt adorned with ‘wen kant’ – which translates as winning side – during the Springboks victory parade in the city.
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In fact, he even gifted Mbonambi with the same t-shirt.
[WATCH] Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis gifts #Springboks player Bongi Mbonambi with a rugby jersey with the phrase "Wen Kant" during the Mother City leg of the #TrophyTour. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/0kvKYCOmIm
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) November 3, 2023
The Springboks “denied the allegations from the outset”.
While the accusation has been made light of, they were taken very seriously by England. Curry was met with abuse online for making the allegations, while the RFU clearly believe that Mbonambi had a case to answer.
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi revealed that he has been in contact with Curry to show his support in response to the online witch-hunt to which the Sale flanker has been subjected.
“I have spoken to him, I sent him a message. He is someone I respect,” Kolisi said. “We can take it as players, when it comes to you it’s fine, but when families are involved it’s different. I have let him know we are supporting him, we are thinking of him.”
additional reporting PA
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BRAVO Safs….Great team spirit and deserved to win even if it was by 3 points across 3 games and with TMO being manned by Safs…but seriously Bravo. Regards this incident if I was TC I would have retorted with you big Blik Kant not reported him. But this is the world we live in now! I don’t think Bongo bill is racist either…he just picks the obvious ‘weakness’ in his opponents armour…anyway…what a world eh!
Why did Mbonambi refuse to shake the hand of Curry?
some SA’s comments are “pretty cocky” in victory
If the English want to see class, they only have to look at how the All Blacks behaved in the loss of the world cup. Unlike the ENGLISH 4 years ago who tore their medals off before they had even left the stage. We in South Africa have serious hardship and challenges to deal with. We have learned to do this by making light of certain situations. This is just an example of it. You lost, the French lost, the All Blacks lost. Stop being sore loosers and figure out how to win it in 4 years time. You have plenty of time to step up.
Such humility and class.
SA winning the world cup is a bit like we say here in Bulgaria: You may have shiny new car but you're still a Greek…
The English rugby team go out after a match. First they have to decide watter kant of the road they will go to pick up kant. Will it be wit kant or swart kant. The problem is most of them bat for the ander kant.
I think it's good to see the humerous side of an obvious misunderstanding, personally didn't think it would be worth mentioning to the ref, it is after all a big boys game, and certainly isn't deserving of any more vitriolic diatribe but hey, definitely good to get a touch of comedic response in there, lighten up the whole saga and put it where it belongs.
Wanted to see Marco play so I could make Eskom jokes…
like Eskom only really works overseas (knocking Faz out)
or
Eskom only works half thet time (when they sub him off)
Some people go around with that “victim mentality” and will take offence at something, even when what is being said isn't at them or offensive of they understood the context…. That said, I can feel some sympathy of somebody has that mindset, only understand English and the other side are shouting “Watter kant? Watter kant?” (Which side?) and then the guy that's been shoving you around in the scrum looks towards your side, where the ball has just popped up and shouts “wit kant”… recipe for him to go running to the ref “sir, sir…”.