A camp rule broken, a season on hold
Bongi Mbonambi has not played for the Sharks this season, and a report from South Africa suggests the reason goes beyond rugby. Rapport says the Springbok hooker is facing a disciplinary matter over his conduct at the squad’s pre-season team-building camp at a game reserve. Neither the club nor the player has confirmed it.
According to the paper, Mbonambi did not follow head coach JP Pietersen’s rules on one evening of the camp. He has since missed the Sharks’ first three United Rugby Championship rounds, an absence Rapport links to the case. Planet Rugby picked up the story today.
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Three teammates, three different outcomes
Mbonambi is not the only name in the report. Hookers Fez Mbatha and Eduan Swart reportedly received warning letters, then apologised for their behaviour. Prop Trevor Nyakane appears to have been excused, because he was not at the camp when the rules were set.
A presiding officer is expected to rule on the findings within about two weeks. Until then, everything above rests on a single newspaper’s account.
A veteran with no game time
Mbonambi is 35 and has 82 Test caps, but he has not pulled on a Springbok jersey since last year because of injury. Now a missing start to the URC campaign adds a second reason for his absence. Planet Rugby says he “could face an uncertain future at the Sharks”, and the ruling due in a fortnight will decide whether that proves true.
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