While it may have caught most of the rugby world by surprise, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber is clear - there is no way Bongi Mbonambi is a “left field choice” as captain of the team.
Mbonambi was named to lead a much-changed Springbok outfit against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday in the first Rugby World Cup warm-up game and will have a “hostile crowd” to contend with as well as the possibility that his opposite number - Agustin Creevy - will be celebrating his 100th test match - the first Argentine player to do so.
Nienaber said that while it may have surprised people outside the squad, on the inside Mbonambi was a “born leader” and that his lead-from-the-front approach would be key to the Boks hopes this weekend.
“I’m extremely proud of Bongi. He has been a brilliant leader for us, since I’ve been back in 2018. Bongi is one of our pressure point drivers - one of our game drivers - and he is a no-nonsense leader. He is a guy that leads by example, by doing the hard stuff,” Nienaber said.
“He is a guy that doesn’t mince his words, he is a straight shooter and he is a guy that demands respect.
“I always say when people walk in a room and you sit with your elbows on a table and you take your elbows off and sit up straight when he comes in - he is almost that guy - he has this nice aura around him. I’m proud of him.”
BOKS SYSTEM WORKS DIFFERENTLY
Nienaber explained again that the Bok system works a bit differently than most people expect. The captain is part of a senior leadership squad, and all of them have responsibilities for their areas, and therefore reduces the pressure on the captain of the team.
“We have a captain, yes, but in our system we have a number of game drivers - who have responsibilities in the game and Bongi is always exceptional in his section - the one he needs to drive.
“From early on he showed a lot of potential in terms of leadership - actually, not a lot of potential, he was just a good leader in the squad. I’m very proud of him and Bongi is the type of leader that leads from the front. People follow him because he doesn’t say something and then does something else, what he says he goes and does. I think that is why people follow him because he is a straightforward guy who tells you what he is going to do and then he never disappoints you.”
Nienaber believes the good rapport that Mbonambi has with referees will go a long way to helping his leadership this weekend, and will see that the Bok players follow his lead.
“Bongi, being a hooker, is the guy who talks to the ref the majority of times, in terms of lineouts, scrums and setpieces. I think the way he communicates with referees is crucial and that as captain - you want one guy speaking to the referee and that should be him.
SCRUMS AND SETPIECES
“Normally other teams as well, when there is any discussions around scrums or setpieces, it is normally the hookers who speak. They talk to the referee. If your captain is Siya (Kolisi), for instance, they don’t understand the ins and outs of the scrum.
“He scrums but he doesn’t understand what goes on in the dark, in the middle. It is common that hookers or props talk to the referees on the scrums. In our team it is the hooker. Bongi must do what he normally does when he speaks to the referees. He will be our voice to the referee and he must just do what he does - and he does it well.
“From a playing perspective he must do what he normally does. He is a no-nonsense guy and during the build-up in the week he gives you his word that he will sort it out in the game, and he sorts it out. It might seem from the outside that it is left field, but I promise you if you talk to anyone inside the team it is not a left field choice.”
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