1
Tom Curry and Bongi Mbonambi incident has become a running joke in SA
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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
ADVERTISEMENT
Comments on RugbyPass
What a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
2 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
2 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
228 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
228 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
228 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to comments