Jacques Nienaber says the Springboks have not allowed the Bongi Mbonambi-Tom Curry racism saga disrupt their preparations for the World Cup final on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Siya Kolisi reveals that he reached out to Curry after the England flanker claimed to have been racially abused by Mbonambi during last week’s World Cup semi-final.
World Rugby issued a statement on Thursday that it could not find any clear evidence to make a case against Mbonambi, and the Bok hooker is free to face the All Blacks in the decider on Saturday.
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Speaking at a Bok team announcement conference on Thursday, Nienaber was asked how the world champions have been able to focus on this weekend’s clash in Paris while the world governing body concluded its investigation into allegations.
“We are fortunate in terms of support of a legal team and everybody who worked behind the scenes. We were shielded from it,” the Bok coach told reporters.
“Where we stay we are almost in our own bubbles. For us it was business as usual and we focused on rugby and that was taken care of in the background.”
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Bok skipper Kolisi added: “I have spoken to him [Curry], I sent him a message. He is someone I respect. We can take it as players, when it comes to us directly it’s fine, but when it comes to your family it’s totally different and that’s exactly what he said to me.
“It’s the one part of the game we really don’t enjoy. I hope obviously it stops and he was able to prepare fas much as he could for the game that he’s playing tomorrow.
“I have let him know we are supporting him, we are thinking of him.”
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Photo: World Rugby