Rugby: Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth slapped with 12-week ban for eye gouge in South Africa vs. Wales
Independent Disciplinary Committee provide Etzebeth ban ruling
The South African national rugby team completed an incredible Autumn Nations Series last weekend in Cardiff, when they demolished Wales 73-0 to cap off an unbeaten year-end tour and confirm our rugby predictions.
However, the one dampener on their incredible tour came at the Principality last weekend, when Eben Etzebeth and Alex Mann got into a scuffle in the 78th minute of the match, which resulted in the Springboks’ lock being shown a straight red card.
South Africa’s highest-capped player was spotted making contact with his thumb into the eye of Mann during the skirmish that involved several players, and after a TMO review, he was sent for an early shower by referee Luc Ramos.
Etzebeth’s actions meant that he had to face a disciplinary committee, which was done on Tuesday, and after an additional 24 hours of deliberation, the committee sanctioned that the two-time World Cup winner would have to serve a 12-week ban.
The panel, led by Christopher Quinlan, found that the contact with Mann’s eye was intentional and deemed that a “mid-range” entry point of 18 weeks was appropriate. However, mitigating factors such as the player’s previous record allowed for the ban to be reduced to 12 weeks.
Etzebeth was the third Springbok player to be sent off during the Autumn Nations series, following Franco Mostert against Italy and Lood de Jager versus France. Mostert’s red was later downgraded to yellow, while De Jager was issued a four-match ban.
Etzebeth to miss large chunk of Champions Cup/ URC seasons for Sharks
While Etzebeth will likely return to the South African camp well before their July Nations Championship and their Rugby Championship title defence, he will miss out on large chunks of the Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship for the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
The Durban-based outfit has a jam-packed schedule over the next three months, starting this weekend at Stade Ernest-Wallon against this season’s favourites to win the Champions Cup, Stade Toulousain.
Matches Etzebeth will miss during 12-week ban
- 7 December - Toulouse vs Sharks (Champions Cup)
- 13 December - Sharks vs Saracens, (Champions Cup)
- 20 December - Sharks vs Bulls, (United Rugby Championship)
- 3 January - Lions vs Sharks, (United Rugby Championship)
- 10 January - Sale Sharks vs Sharks, (Champions Cup)
- 17 January - Sharks vs Clermont, (Champions Cup)
- 24 January - Stormers vs Sharks, (United Rugby Championship)
- 31 January - Sharks vs Stormers, (United Rugby Championship)
- 21 February - Sharks vs Lions, (United Rugby Championship)
- 28 February - Bulls vs Sharks, (United Rugby Championship)
- 21 March - Sharks vs Munster, (United Rugby Championship)
- 27 March - Sharks vs Cardiff Rugby, (United Rugby Championship)
