Bongi Mbonambi has left the Sharks with immediate effect following a disciplinary matter and signed a one-year contract with the Stormers, the two clubs have confirmed.
The 35-year-old fell foul of a rule set by head coach JP Pietersen during a team-building camp, triggering a disciplinary process that ultimately led to the mutual termination of his Sharks contract. Despite the circumstances, both parties have described the split as amicable.
Mbonambi had not featured for the Sharks at all this season — first due to injury, then as a consequence of the disciplinary process — and was left out of Rassie Erasmus' squad for the upcoming Nations Championship matches in the Northern Hemisphere. The move to the Stormers, where he played from 2015 to 2021 and first established himself as a Springbok, reopens his path to international rugby.
The timing suits the Stormers acutely. André-Hugo Venter, Deon Fourie, Lukhanyo Vokozela, Almero Keizer and Luca Bakkes are all currently injured, while JJ Kotzé is serving a suspension, leaving the franchise severely short at hooker.
"We all know the quality that Bongi brings and it is fantastic that we were able to arrange this deal at such short notice," said director of rugby John Dobson. "Bongi became a Springbok while playing for us and has proven himself among the best in the world in the middle of the front row."
Mbonambi, who holds 74 caps and two World Cup winners' medals, said he was eager to contribute: "This club is in a great space, and I want to do all I can to contribute to the cause."
Shark CEO Shaun Bryans thanked Mbonambi for his contribution to the Durban franchise while pointing to the broader cultural shift underway under Pietersen: "Our focus remains firmly on the current season and on building the identity and team culture that Head Coach JP Pietersen and the squad are driving."