Bongi Mbonambi has returned to the DHL Stormers on a deal that brings the 35-year-old hooker back to Cape Town after his tenure at the Hollywoodbets Sharks ended in mutual agreement. The move reunites Mbonambi with director of rugby John Dobson, who dismissed any concerns about the circumstances of the player's Durban departure.
Mbonambi's exit from the Sharks followed a high-performance review that identified cultural issues within the club, particularly around the treatment of senior Springboks. The review, conducted by Alan Zondagh, reportedly found that certain players were being held to different standards, prompting structural changes including the creation of a Player Affairs and Culture department. While the Sharks confirmed the parties reached amicable terms, the mutual agreement reflected a relationship that had deteriorated beyond repair.
Dobson has been careful to avoid comparisons with the Sharks' earlier Galactico approach to recruitment, emphasising that SA Rugby are funding much of Mbonambi's contract. The arrangement mirrors the Stormers' recent pattern of acquiring players with Western Cape roots or family connections, including Siya Kolisi's return and the upcoming arrival of Montagu-born lock Corne Rahl from July. Ntuthuko Mchunu has already flourished since leaving Durban, where he played understudy to Ox Nche.
World Cup Ambitions
Mbonambi's primary motivation for the move centres on securing a place in next year's Rugby World Cup squad. The hooker featured in both the 2019 Yokohama and 2023 Paris finals, though he was substituted early in each of South Africa's triumphs. At 35, the window for another World Cup campaign is closing, and the Stormers have committed to accelerating his return to match fitness.
The transfer continues a recent trend of player movement across the Drakensberg, with traffic flowing predominantly westward. Suleiman Hartzenberg represents the sole exception, having joined the Sharks on loan. Dobson's recruitment strategy has consistently emphasised continuity and cultural fit over marquee signings, a philosophy that will now be tested by Mbonambi's integration into a squad competing across the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup.
For the Springboks, the move offers Rassie Erasmus a clearer picture of Mbonambi's form and fitness heading into the World Cup cycle. Whether the veteran can reclaim his starting berth or secure a place on the bench will depend on his performances over the coming months, with the Stormers providing the platform for what may be his final international push.