South African rugby has been rocked by a significant disciplinary ruling as veteran lock Eben Etzebeth faces a lengthy suspension. The two-time World Cup winner has been handed a 12-match ban for making contact with the eye area of Wales flanker Alex Mann.
Clash in Cardiff Leads to Historic Ban
The incident occurred during last weekend's Autumn Nations Series Test at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Despite the Springboks' emphatic 73-0 victory – a record home defeat for Wales – the match was marred by Etzebeth's actions in the closing stages.
Video evidence clearly showed the 141-cap forward placing his right thumb in the left eye of Welsh player Alex Mann during a scuffle. This resulted in the first red card of Etzebeth's 13-year international career.
Independent Panel Delivers Verdict
An independent disciplinary committee conducted a hearing where Etzebeth pleaded guilty to the charge and issued an apology. The panel determined that the contact was intentional.
Regarding the sanction, the starting point was set at 18 weeks. This was then reduced by six weeks due to the player's previously clean disciplinary record and his early acceptance of guilt.
The suspension covers all matches for his club side, the Durban-based Sharks, from this weekend until the end of March 2024. In anticipation of a substantial ban, the Sharks had already deregistered the lock earlier this week.
Springboks' Disciplinary Tour
Etzebeth's dismissal was notably the third red card shown to a South African lock during the team's recent five-match unbeaten tour of Europe in November.
Lood de Jager received a four-match suspension for his offence, while a red card shown to Franco Mostert was later rescinded upon review. This series of incidents has brought the team's discipline under intense scrutiny.
The ban represents a major blow for both the Sharks and the Springboks' leadership group, removing one of the world's most experienced and physically imposing forwards from competition during a crucial period of the season.
