Rugby

Bongi Mbonambi: England ‘unprofessional’ over racism allegation

South Africa hooker says ‘misunderstanding’ arose because Tom Curry failed to realise he was speaking Afrikaans

South Africa's hooker Bongi Mbonambi celebrates as he holds the Webb Ellis Cup upon the South African rugby team's arrival at the OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg. Photograph: Phill Magakoe/AFP via Getty Images

Tue Nov 7 2023 - 18:25

South Africa hooker Bongi Mbonambi has accused England of being “unprofessional” over allegations that he racially abused Tom Curry during last month’s Rugby World Cup semi-final.

World Rugby found “insufficient evidence” to back up Curry’s claim that he was called a “white c***” by the Springboks player midway through the first half of the match in Paris.

Mbonambi said the “misunderstanding” arose because Curry failed to realise he was speaking Afrikaans, a common practice among the Springboks to ensure opponents do not understand their messages.

He told BBC Sport Africa: “I think it is a very sad thing when you live in a first-world country [England], you think the rest of the world speaks English.

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“It was unprofessional on their part. They could have gone on a website and looked for an English dictionary and looked for the word in Afrikaans.

“People understood [in South Africa], but obviously their side was misunderstood.”

World Rugby stressed that Curry made the allegation in good faith and added there was no suggestion that it was “deliberately false or malicious”.

Both players have been subjected to online abuse since the alleged incident, with Curry’s club, Sale Sharks, saying they were “disgusted” by some of the criticism aimed at Curry.

Scotland backrower Hamish Watson is facing several weeks on the sidelines with a facial injury sustained in Edinburgh’s defeat by Leinster on Saturday.

The 32-year-old flanker – who endured a lengthy lay-off with concussion last winter – was forced off at the start of the second half of the 36-27 United Rugby Championship loss at the RDS.

Watson’s latest setback comes at a bad time as he bids to generate some early-season momentum in the lead up to the Six Nations after slipping down the pecking order with the national team, featuring in just one of their four matches at the World Cup in France.

Edinburgh also confirmed in an injury update released on Tuesday that Scotland trio Jamie Ritchie, Darcy Graham and Sam Skinner are expected to return to action this month.

Wales outhalf Sam Costelow is expected to be sidelined until January after suffering shoulder and hamstring injuries.

Scarlets playmaker Costelow was hurt during Wales’ 49-26 victory over the Barbarians on Saturday and went off at half-time.

He is a clear favourite to succeed Dan Biggar, who retired from Test rugby after the World Cup, in Wales’ number 10 shirt.

Costelow impressed for Wales at the World Cup in France, starting the pool game against Georgia when Gareth Anscombe was a late withdrawal.

And he is the latest member of that squad to be sidelined, with Exeter forward Christ Tshiunza suffering a broken foot on his return to domestic action and number eight Taulupe Faletau continuing his recovery from a broken arm sustained in the Georgia match.

Wales, meanwhile, are without the Six Nations services of Anscombe and fullback Liam Williams, who will play domestic rugby in Japan next year.

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