“World Rugby takes all allegations of discriminatory behavior extremely seriously. We are able to confirm that we are officially investigating the allegation made by English player Tom Curry regarding the use of discriminatory remarks during the semi-final of the 2023 World Cup between South Africa and England, explained World Rugby without giving further details.
The day before, the South African Federation had announced that it was launching an internal investigation into alleged racial insults against Tom Curry, who assured the press, after the semi-final defeat against the Springboks (16-15), that Mbonambi had called him a “white c*nt” (“white c*nt”, Editor’s note). After about half an hour of play, the English flanker reported the facts to referee Ben O’Keefe, asking him what he should say. “Nothing, please,” O’Keefe told him.
After the match, when asked if he had a problem with anything Mbonambi said, Curry replied: “yeah”, adding that “it (was) not worth talking about”. The South African hooker appears to have refused to shake his hand at the final whistle.
“We are aware of the allegation, which we take very seriously,” said the South African Rugby Union, adding that it was “in the process of reviewing the available evidence”.
Mbonambi is the only professional hooker in the South African squad since the injury to Malcom Marx, who was replaced numerically by flyhalf Handré Pollard.
Sanctions are rarely taken against players for words spoken on the field. In 2016, the Englishman Joe Marler was however suspended two matches for comments addressed to the Welshman Samson Lee. The previous year, South African Jacques Potgieger was fined for a homophobic insult during a Super Rugby match.
South Africa will face New Zealand on Saturday in an attempt to clinch a fourth world title.
