Hooker Mbonambi to join WP Rugby

Jul 23 • General News • 1985 Views • Comments Off on Hooker Mbonambi to join WP Rugby

Highly-rated former SA Schools and SA Under-20 hooker Bongi Mbonambi will join Western Province Rugby at the start of the 2015 season.

The mobile, yet powerful hooker will move from Pretoria at the conclusion of the 2014 Absa Currie Cup season and will provide valuable front row depth for the DHL Stormers ahead of the 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby competition.

WP Director of Rugby Gert Smal said: “We’re excited at the prospect of Bongi playing his rugby in the Cape from next year onwards.

“We’ve tracked his progress and believe that he can reach his full potential here. At the same time, hooker is a specialist position and you need depth in crucial positions. We are confident that Bongi will push the likes of Tiaan Liebenberg and Scarra Ntubeni for a starting place.”

Mbonambi, 23, is looking forward to furthering his career in the Cape in 2015.

The hooker told wprugby.com: “I am looking forward to the next chapter of my career. Not only is Cape Town a beautiful city, but there is also plenty of history and excellence associated with a great union like Western Province.

“I’m not expecting any hand-outs and I know that I have to play my best rugby to nail down a regular place in the DHL Stormers or DHL Western Province teams.

“But that is an exciting prospect for me and why I want to continue to give my all for the Bulls before moving to the Cape ahead of next season.”

Mbonambi, who was born in Bethlehem, weights 102 kilograms and is 1,86 metres tall.

He played for SA Schools in 2009 and represented the SA Under-20 team in the 2011 IRB Junior World Championships in Italy, which saw him play alongside DHL Stormers and DHL Western Province stars Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi and Nizaam Carr.