Sharks coach John Plumtree announced on Wednesday that Bongi Mbonambi, a 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok, may miss six months as a result of a knee injury.

The 32-year-old hooker had to leave the field early in last month’s World Cup final victory over New Zealand due to an injury.

After the Durban-based Sharks returned from a United Rugby Championship tour of Europe in which they lost all four games, Plumtree, a New Zealander, said, “Bongi could be out for six months.”

The next match South Africa plays is a two-test series against Ireland in July 2024.

In a World Cup pool match, the Irish defeated the Springboks, but they were defeated by New Zealand in the quarterfinals.

In the World Cup semifinals, England forward Tom Curry accused Mbonambi of using a racial slur. However, World Rugby concluded that there was not enough proof and closed the case.

The fact that tighthead prop Vincent Koch, a two-time World Cup winner for the Springboks, will miss up to three months of action owing to a knee injury is more bad news for the Sharks.

A severe blow to the Sharks at Hollywoodbets.

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The Vodacom Bulls enter round five with a strong chance of securing a 75% tour record and securing their spot at the top table, while the Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers garner a lot of attention due to their respective early stumbles in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.

Since Sean Everitt has been a friend, colleague, and longtime rival of Jake White, the director of rugby at Edinburgh, he is probably the best person to evaluate the changes that director of rugby Jake White has made at the Bulls since the previous season.

The longtime former Sharks employee, who parted ways with the Durban team late last year and briefly served as an assistant coach with the Bulls, is busy getting his new team ready for what he views as a crucial matchup with the Bulls. At this stage of the season, it could be a turning point for his team, much like it was for the Bulls, as victory would catapult them to the top of the log table, while a loss will drop them back into the pack of chasers.

Everitt remarked, “Jake and I have a long history together. We were assistants to Jake when he was the Sharks’ coach in 2014, and although we have always had rivalry, we have also grown close over the years.”

When I was leaving the Sharks, he was gracious enough to extend his hand. It was fantastic to have that opportunity because it is a good way to overcome hardship to get back on track and continue doing what you enjoy. I had a long-term contract with the Bulls, but we also had an agreement that said I could accept a senior coaching position elsewhere if one opened up.

The Bulls have performed admirably thus far, and their contracting has been astute. Other than the Lions, they have the fewest Springboks away, so he can maintain the continuity he currently has. By including Wilco Louw and Akker van der Merwe, he has also greatly strengthened the set piece.

“Jaco van der Walt, a former Edinburgh player who was an important part of this team and will undoubtedly become a valuable member of the Bulls group, has also joined them.”

WHITE HAS GROWN FROM ITS MISTAKES FROM LAST SEASON.

Everitt also mentioned that the Bulls will be especially tough to beat on Friday night at the Hive Stadium (formerly DAM Health) in Edinburgh because of significant adjustments made to their on-field strategy.

“They played too much in their own half the previous year, but they’ve improved their kicking.” Additionally, their set piece possesses depth; last week, it was observed that he began the game with his second string players before bringing on the big men. For them, it proved effective. We have no illusions about their physical prowess—they will be a very tough team for us to beat. Even though it will be a difficult match, I think we can defeat the Bulls.

Everitt was correct when he said that White made wise off-season decisions, developing depth in the exact positions where he needs it. White is a former Bok mentor. It has made it possible for him to learn from his mistakes, which is what the best coaches do to set themselves apart from the competition. His starting lineup from the previous season appeared overmatched at times, but this year he has shown a welcome willingness to rotate his choices.

Given that the Cape team used the most players during the first half of the URC, it’s not exactly a step up from what John Dobson did at the Stormers last year. Dobson was more concerned with depth development than White, who seemed to be more focused on keeping players fresh in his selection process.

“Next week, we play Saracens in the Champions Cup, followed by the Sharks and Connacht. We have a challenging month ahead of us, so I’d like to simply rotate and keep the guys fresh. At his press conference to announce his team, White stated, “You have to keep them game-ready.”

“The board and my CEO Edgar Rathbone have recognized that we wouldn’t have used the same 28 players if we had played four weeks at home, which is why we’ve brought 33 players on tour—much more than the other squads.

“I’m grateful that we can now include additional players; as of right now, the third-choice tight end is the only one who hasn’t participated in a tour. Not only is it great that we’ve topped the log after a brief hiatus, but it’s even more fantastic that I’ve been able to use 32 out of the 33 players, which is fantastic for our depth, confidence, and morale.

Each team would want to be at the top of the log, he continued, saying that there was plenty for them to aim for.

Teams on the coast face the wall.

The Bulls are currently the only team in the top eight, with the Stormers, ranked ninth, being the next best South African team. The Stormers are under more pressure to exact revenge for the 2022–23 final result in Cape Town after losing in Treviso last week. This Saturday night’s matchup between the Cape team and Munster, perhaps the league’s match of the weekend, takes place at Limerick.

The Sharks will be happy to be back on the green grass, while the Emirates Lions, who play at the same time as the Bulls, will be looking for another victory to support their encouraging win over Scarlets last week. However, they will find it difficult going at Ravenhill against Ulster. not to mention the comfort of home, as they prepare to welcome Connacht in an attempt to heal from a disastrous tour.