Hooker Bongi Mbonambi was cleared for selection while World Rugby has confirmed that both teams will play in their traditional strips. Picture: Miguel Medina/AFP
The Springboks go into Saturday’s World Cup final against the All Blacks in Paris with a boost that hooker Bongi Mbonambi was cleared for selection while World Rugby has confirmed that both teams will play in their traditional strips.
Mbonambi was accused of a racial slur towards England player Tom Curry in last week’s semi-final.
And while World Rugby are still investigating the alleged incident, they say a conclusion cannot be reached until next week, and thus the South African No 2 is free to play in the final of the global showpiece.
Curry’s club team in England, Sale Sharks, have reported that he has received death threats since making the allegation, while some Bok fans have said Mbonambi was speaking Afrikaans on the pitch and that his words were lost in translation.
On Wednesday, the Boks won a coin toss between the teams as to who gets the more luxurious “home” change-room at the Stade de France, and will be known as Team A.
World Rugby have also said that New Zealand will play in their traditional black strip, and the Boks will wear their green-and-gold jersey.
Bok assistant coach Felix Jones said from Paris on Wednesday that Mbonambi was raring to go. He is crucial to the Bok cause because he is the only specialist hooker, after injured Malcolm Marx was replaced by a flyhalf in Handré Pollard.
He is crucial to the Bok cause because he is the only specialist hooker, after injured Malcolm Marx was replaced by a flyhalf in Handré Pollard.
“Bongi has played nearly 160 minutes (close to two full games) over the quarter- and semi-finals, but he is fine,” Irishman Jones said.
“Any player who is getting ready to play in a World Cup final won’t moan about how many minutes they’ve had. They will all be ready to go.”
Bok head coach Jacques Nienaber is scheduled to announce the match 23 on Thursday, and it will be interesting to see whether he makes any changes to the side that beat England 16-15 in a thrilling semi-final last Saturday.
The most debated selections will be scrumhalf and flyhalf, where Cobus Reinach and Manie Libbok are under pressure to retain their places ahead of Faf de Klerk and Pollard.
The other major factor will be the make-up of the substitutes bench. The Boks have opted for the traditional five-three split.
Kick-off for Saturday’s final is at 9pm South African time, and rain has been forecast for the French capital during the match.
Cape Times
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