Bongi Mbonambi will become Saturday against Argentina the second black player to be entrusted with the stripes of captain of the XV of South Africa rugby, an XV almost entirely changed compared to that which narrowly beat the Pumas last Saturday in Johannesburg.
Hooker Bongi Mbonambi, 32, is one of thirteen new players chosen by coach Jacques Nienaber to face the Argentines again, this time as part of a World Cup preparation test match, excluding Rugby Championship.
Third-line Siya Kolisi became the first black player to captain the Springboks in 2018, during a test against England, won by South Africa.
For 90 years, Springbok coaches have chosen only white, black and mixed-race players who can only play in separate leagues, without the possibility of playing at international level. Until the selection of fly-half Errol Tobias against Ireland in 1981.
After the end of apartheid in 1991, the inclusion of black and mixed-race players in the national team was done very slowly: in the final of the World Cup-2019, there were six players of color in the starting XV of the Springboks .
Mbonambi started in this final won by the Boks against England in Japan. Kolisi is still recovering from a serious knee injury but Jacques Nienaber said he hoped for the return of third line and fly-half Handre Pollard in subsequent warm-up matches against New Zealand or Wales.
This match against the Pumas is the last before the announcement of the 33 players selected for the World Cup which will begin in almost a month in France (September 8-October 28).
South Africa squad roster against Argentina:
Willemse – Moodie, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi – (o) Libbok, (m) Reinach – Mostert, Wiese, Fourie – Orie, Kleyn – du Toit, Mbonambi (cap), Nyakane
Substitutes: Dweba, Steenekamp, Koch, du Preez, Roos, Jantjies, Kriel, Arendse
