Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth was banned for 12 matches on Thursday after being sent off for an eye gouge in the 73-0 win over Wales last weekend.
The two-time Rugby World Cup winner made contact with the left eye of Alex Mann in the final minute of the season-ending international Test in Cardiff, leading to immediate disciplinary action from rugby authorities.
“It didn’t look good, it justified a red card,” Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said following the incident. “It was definitely not the way we’d have liked to have ended the game.”
An independent disciplinary panel determined that contact with the eye was intentional and classified it as a “mid-range” offense, setting an entry point of 18 games as an appropriate sanction.
However, mitigating factors including the player’s previous clean disciplinary record resulted in the suspension being reduced to 12 weeks.
The 34-year-old Etzebeth will be unavailable for his club Sharks in both the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup until the end of March 2026. The ban will not immediately affect his international career, as South Africa are not scheduled to play again until July next year.
Etzebeth’s red card marked the third such dismissal for a Springbok player in just four Autumn Nations Series matches. Franco Mostert was previously sent off against Italy, while Lood de Jager received his marching orders against France.
Notably, Mostert’s red card was later rescinded upon review, though Etzebeth and de Jager’s sanctions remain in place.
The string of disciplinary issues will likely prompt soul-searching within the South African camp as they prepare for the upcoming season.
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