Springboks hooker back ahead of schedule for first game since devastating World Cup injury

Double Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks hooker Bongi Mbonambi will make his long-awaited comeback from injury this weekend in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

Mbonambi sustained a knee injury in the third minute of the World Cup final against the All Blacks after a horrid clear-out attempt from Shannon Frizell – which duly resulted in a yellow card for the New Zealander.

Bongi Mbonambi back ahead of schedule

The injury has sidelined the Bok hooker since, and while Sharks head coach John Plumtree expected to be without the experienced campaigner for the entire season, he has seemingly returned ahead of schedule.

The 33-year-old, who was also forced off the pitch early on in the 2019 World Cup final due to a concussion, has been named on the bench for the Sharks’ URC clash with the Stormers this weekend.

It’s a welcome boost for the Durban-based outfit who enter the URC’s ‘Origin Round’ at the foot of the table having won just one of their first nine fixtures.

Despite the injury to Eben Etzebeth, among other stars, Plumtree has been able to call upon several Springboks for the clash against their coastal rivals, with Aphelele Fassi and Makazole Mapimpi joined by former Blitzbok Werner Kok in the back three.

Lukhanyo Am skippers the side and starts alongside fellow Springbok Francois Venter, with Jaden Hendrikse and Curwin Bosch combining in another Test parternship.

Phepsi Buthelezi (number eight), Lappies Labuschagne (blindside flanker) and James Venter (openside flanker) make up the loose trio.

However, there is just one Springbok in the starting forward pack as Ox Nche is named at loosehead prop, along with starting hooker Fez Mbath and tighthead prop Hanro Jacobs. Le Roux Roets and Gerbrandt Grobler are the starting locks.

Mbonambi is joined by Springbok props Ntuthuko Mchunu and Coenie Oosthuizen as the front-row replacements on the bench, with Hyron Andrews and Vincent Tshituka covering the back-five forward options. Bradley Davids, Siya Masuku and Aphiwe Dyantyi are the three backline replacements in a 5-3 split on the bench.

The ‘Springbok spirit’ won South Africa the World Cup according to expert

Stormers recall Springboks

Meanwhile, Stormers head coach John Dobson has welcomed back Springboks loose forward Evan Roos and lock Salmaan Moerat for the clash, as well as the talented Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Warrick Gelant starts at full-back in the absence of Damian Willemse and is joined in the back three by Ben Loader and Leolin Zas. Feinberg-Mngomezulu starts at inside centre and is partnered by Suleiman Hartzenberg.

Paul de Wet and Jurie Matthee are the starting half-backs, with Manie Libbok also on his SA Rugby-enforced break.

Hacjivah Dayimani (number eight), Evan Roos (blindside flanker), and Marcel Theunissen (openside flanker) are the starting loose forwards, while Ruben van Heerden and Adre Smith are the starting locks, with Moerat set to make his return from injury via the bench.

Neethling Fouche captains the side from tighthead prop, with Joseph Dweba at hooker and Ali Vermaak at loosehead.

The Stormers have also opted for a 5-3 split on the bench as Andre-Hugo Venter, Sti Sithole, Brok Harris, Moerat and Ben-Jason Dixon covering the forwards and Herschel Jantjies, Wandisile Simelane and Angelo Davids the backs.

Simelane is set to make his debut for the Stormers after making the switch from the Bulls.

READ MORE: ‘There’s a twist’ – Springbok hopeful rejects South African homecoming

Sharks v Bulls teams

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am (c), 12 Francois Venter, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Lappies Labuschagne, 6 James Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Le Roux Roets, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Vincent Tshituka, 21 Bradley Davids, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Aphiwe Dyantyi

Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Evan Roos, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adre Smith, 3 Neethling Fouche (c), 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ali Vermaak
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Ben-Jason Dixon, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Wandisile Simelane, 23 Angelo Davids

Venue: Hollywoodbets Stadium, Durban
Kick-off: 17:05 local (15:05 GMT)
Referee: Morne Ferreira (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni (South Africa), Stephan Geldenhuys (South Africa)
TMO: Ben Crous (South Africa)