Cape Town – Springbok and Bulls wing Sbu Nkosi has not reported for duty at Loftus Versfeld for about three weeks, and the franchise bosses are worried about his well-being – with even the police having been notified.
Netwerk24 reported on Saturday morning that the 26-year-old Nkosi has not been at the Bulls’ Pretoria headquarters since November 14.
The speedster last played a match on October 30 against his former team the Sharks, where he featured for 45 minutes before going off with a rib injury in the Bulls’ 40-27 victory at Loftus Versfeld.
Despite being selected for the Springbok squad for the November tour to the UK and Europe, he stayed in Pretoria to have scans on his injury, and was subsequently ruled out.
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Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone confirmed to IOL Sport on Saturday that Nkosi has not responded to his daily messages.
“All I can say currently is that I really hope he is safe,” Rathbone said.
Bulls coach Jake White was asked about Nkosi’s situation by Netwerk24 on Friday following the team announcement ahead of Saturday’s URC clash against Cardiff at Loftus Versfeld (8pm kickoff), and he reportedly said: “The less I say at the moment, the better.”
Nkosi, who joined the Bulls ahead of the current URC season after leaving the Sharks, was sent home early from their recent tour in Ireland, as he had broken team protocols by missing a meeting following a visit to a friend in Dublin.
He had to sit out the Bok Test against Wales last year and the training camp in France before that as well, as he had not collected his new passport in time.
Nkosi, who has 16 Test caps to his name, has dabbled in rap music in recent years under his stage name ‘Lawd Odin’, and signed a record deal with US sports marketing agency Roc Nation Sports’ independent distribution platform, Equity Distribution (EQ) – and has released a few songs too.
Late on Saturday, the Bulls released a statement, confirming that they had not been in touch with Nkosi since November 11.
The Blue Bulls Company can confirm that Vodacom Bulls contracted player, Sbu Nkosi has been absent without leave for the past three weeks. Nkosi’s last known contact with any executive, management or playing squad member is Friday 11 November 2022.
After numerous failed attempts, which include but are not limited to phone calls, texts messages, calls to relatives, partner and close friends as well as four house visits to his known place of residence, the company took the decision to open a missing person case with the Brooklyn Police Station (which was subsequently transferred to Sunnyside Police Station), in Pretoria on Thursday 17 November 2022. This resulted from the grave worry and concern of everyone at Loftus as well as the need for the expert assistance of the South African Police Services.
We appreciate both the public and media interest in the matter, as we all share the same concerns about the player’s safety. However, we ask that you understand that we cannot make any further comments on the matter as it now sits with the South African Police Services.
Anyone with further information about the whereabouts or information that may assist the police in discharging their responsibility, please contact the Sunnyside Police Station on +27 12 422 3600 or contact Crime Stop on +27 8600 10111. You may also email [email protected] with any information that may assist.
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