Truth or fiction — Mbonambi’s slur from 2022 Twickenham Test?

World Rugby are apparently taking longer than expected to reach a decision on whether to charge Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi for discriminatory behaviour, or something else, because the incident in question is now, bizarrely, apparently not from last Saturday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final between the Boks and England, but from last year’s Test at Twickenham.

This is according to a report by Netwerk24 on Wednesday who say they have reliable information that England’s Tom Curry was referring to an incident in last November’s Test at Twickenham when he was allegedly called a “white c***” by Mbonambi.

Not World Rugby nor SA Rugby have indicated anything to this effect.

Twickenham Test

If it is indeed the case that Curry was called what he told referee Ben O’Keeffe during last Saturday’s RWC semi-final between the Boks and England in Paris, one’s got to wonder why the Englishman would mention an alleged racial incident from nearly a year earlier at that specific time, in the heat of battle?

Also, what outcome would he have been hoping for?

According to Netwerk24, World Rugby are now apparently poring over footage of the Twickenham Test, which the Boks won 27-13, to see if there is any evidence of this nature.

The Boks beat England in a thrilling semi-final 16-15 last weekend to advance to the World Cup final, against the All Blacks on Saturday, with kick-off at 9pm.

Boks boss Jacques Nienaber is set to name his team for the match on Thursday morning. Mbonambi is expected to be named at hooker, with Deon Fourie as his back-up.

The Boks have no other first-choice hooker in their squad following the tournament-ending knee injury picked up by Malcolm Marx in the first week of competition. The Boks decided to call-up Handre Pollard as Marx’s replacement.