Latest news with #Mbonambi
The Citizen
a day ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
'Italy have potential to case damage,' says Boks' Bongi Mbonambi
Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi is expecting a battle up front against a tough Italian pack at Loftus on Saturday. Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi during a team training session ahead of their Test against Italy at Loftus in Pretoria on Saturday. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi is preparing for a tough battle up front when they take on Italy in their incoming series opener at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon. The Boks are putting out a strong starting front row for the game, with Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw kicking things off and they will be backed up by a just as strong a front row on the bench, namely Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Mbonambi and Vincent Koch. But despite the expected dominance from both Bok front rows, Mbonambi believes Italy's forward performance in the Six Nations shows that they will be a challenge. 'The Italian pack proved what they can do in the Six Nations. We saw how hard they scrummed against top packs. They have a system that they believe in. They've proven themselves to be a threat, and they have a plan to use their pack,' explained Mbonambi. 'They also have a coach in Gonzalo Quesada who drives that passion. They may have a smaller group of players to choose from compared to South Africa with so few clubs, but they are hard-working players, and we are expecting a tough day at the office. 'We are expecting a massive battle from them, and we know they are going to come hard at us up front for 80 minutes, so we cannot afford to get comfortable at any stage of the match because they have the potential to cause damage.' Heavy favourites The Boks are, however, heavy favourites for the match, having named an experienced and powerful side, and are expected to brush aside the challenge of the Italians, but Mbonambi cautions that they cannot be underestimated. 'Some may be underestimating them, but as a team, we have a lot to lose if we let ourselves down on the field,' said Mbonambi. 'The public will have a different look and feel towards the game, but the planning for us this past week has been based on the perception that Italy are going to come down here with a massive challenge. 'Their backline players are powerful runners, and we're going to have to front up. We're never going to get to a place in the game where we are comfortable and allow them to play their game. 'We are going to have to implement our system, our power and our physicality onto them before they try what they want to do.'
IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Mbonambi warns of brutal forward battle as Springboks prepare for Italy
Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi believes Italy will be a fierce test at Loftus Versfeld this weekend. Photo: Timothy Bernard Independent Media Image: Timothy Bernard Independent Media It's almost a given that most South Africans expect the Springboks to comfortably dispatch of Italy at Loftus Versfeld this weekend. After all, in 16 previous encounters, Italy have beaten the Boks just once — a narrow 20–18 win in Florence back in 2016. A quick glance at the matchday 23 selected by Bok mentor Rassie Erasmus has only reinforced that conviction. It is a powerful unit, one with the potential to dismantle any opposition. Nonetheless, Bok hooker Bongi Mbonambi — named on the bench for Saturday's Test (kick-off 5pm) — has advised caution, as the 34-year-old believes a brutal battle up front is brewing. And the stats support his concern. During the Six Nations earlier this year, the Azzurri lost only two of their scrums, boasting a 93% success rate. At the other set-piece — the line-out — they achieved a 90% success rate, winning 63 throw-ins and losing only seven. At ruck time, meanwhile, they retained 96% of possession at the contact point. It all points to a team confident in their structure, according to Mbonambi. 'The Italian pack have proven themselves, especially in the Six Nations,' Mbonambi said on Wednesday, from their base in Johannesburg. 'We saw how hard they scrummed against top packs. They have a system that they believe in. They've proven themselves to be a threat, and they have a plan to use their pack. 'They have two clubs — Benetton and Zebre — at the moment, and a small pool of players to pick from, but the talent is there and you can see they're willing to work hard. 'The public will have a different look and feel towards the game,' Mbonambi added, 'but the planning for us this past week has been based on the perception that Italy are going to come down here with a massive challenge.' Naturally, the Italians will have to make a substantial step up to compete against the Boks on their home turf, but expecting anything less than an arm-wrestle could be to the hosts' own peril. In that vein, the Bok veteran identified the key personnel they will need to subdue this weekend. 'Their leaders are their loose-forwards and their centres, and they carry that team,' Mbonambi revealed. 'They also have a coach that drives their passion.' That group includes Lorenzo Cannone, Alessandro Izekor, Sebastian Negri, David Odiase, Ross Vintcent, Andrea Zambonin and Manuel Zuliani amongst the loose-forwards, with Damiano Mazza, Tommaso Menoncello, Giulion Bertaccini, Marco Zanon, Mirko Belloni and Paolo Odogwu his midfield picks.
BBC News
29-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Leaders Leinster battle to URC win over Sharks
Sharks (0) 7Tries: Mbonambi Cons: Jordan HendrikseLeinster (5) 10Tries: McErlean, Penny Leinster's understrength side produced a gutsy defensive effort to edge out the Sharks 10-7 in a hugely physical United Rugby Championship contest in Cullen's pacesetters lost for the first time this season when pipped in the final seconds by the Bulls in Pretoria last weekend but tries from Henry McErlean and Scott Penny proved enough for the Irish province to get back to winning ways as Bongi Mbonambi scored the Sharks' Sharks had a last-gasp penalty chance which if slotted would have secured a draw but skipper Siya Kolisi's gamble of telling Siya Masuku to kick for the corner didn't pay off as Leinster disrupted the subsequent line-out to earn a match-clinching Cian Healy was the only member of Ireland's Six Nations squad involved in Leinster's matchday squad with Jodie Barrett and RG Snyman also left out by Cullen. The Sharks, meanwhile, included double World Cup-winning Springboks skipper Kolisi and former Leinster lock Jason Jenkins. Leinster's win moved them 12 points ahead at the top although Glasgow had the chance to reduce that to eight as they prepared to face the Bulls later on Saturday in the battle between the third and second-placed sides at Scotstoun. Leinster had to repel early Sharks pressure before exploiting scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse's yellow card to notch their first score in the 20th minute as McErlean touched down after running on to a superb long pass from scrum-half Fintan Gunne, who was making his first start for the Irish Sharks fought back to produce intense pressure before half-time but Leinster held firm to go in 5-0 at the break. Leinster then produced a fast start to the second half which yielded Penny's 47th-minute try after Ciaran Frawley found a gap in the Sharks defence. Inexplicably, fly-half Frawley hit the woodwork with the simple looking conversion but Leinster had nevertheless increased their advantage to the strength of the Sharks pack, it was inevitable that there would be a response and it arrived within four minutes as hooker Bongi Mbonambi touched down with Jordan Hendrikse adding the the Sharks continued to press, Frawley performed heroics in the 57th minute to hold up Ethan Hooker after the wing had crossed the Leinster attacking moments from both sides, there were no further scores in the final quarter - although Leinster had to survive their nervy finish after the Sharks were awarded a penalty on the Irish province's 10-metre Penxe; Hooker, Julius, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, Koch; Jenkins, van Heerden; Venter, V Tshituka, Kolisi (captain). Replacements: Mbatha, Mchunu, Dreyer, Rahl, M Tshituka, Davids, Masuku, J O'Brien; T O'Brien, Turner, Tector, Osborne; Frawley, Gunne; Healy, McKee, Clarkson; Mangan, Deeny; Soroka, Connors, Deegan (captain). Replacements: Barron, Milne, McGuire, Spicer, Penny, Coffey, Byrne, McErlean
