Eben Etzebeth World Rugby verdict delayed until at least Sunday
South Africans will have to wait until at least Sunday to find out the punishment handed out to Springbok Eben Etzebeth. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP
Image: Paul Ellis/AFP
South Africans will have to wait until at least Sunday to find out the punishment handed out to Springbok Eben Etzebeth.
World Rugby held a disciplinary hearing with Etzebeth on Tuesday evening, but a decision on his sanction could not be reached.
The panel, which met, had to request additional time to agree on the punishment for Etzebeth. Etzebeth appeared at his World Rugby hearing for the eye-gouge incident during the Springboks 73-0 win over a hapless Wales in Cardiff over the weekend.
Etzebeth was involved in a scuffle with Welsh flank Alex Mann, and the most-capped Springbok was seen on TV replays clearly sticking his thumb in his opposition player’s eye.It was the final match of the Springboks’ November tour, after previous victories over Japan, France, Italy, and Ireland. According to World Rugby’s sanctions, Etzebeth could face a lengthy ban.
Etzebeth’s potential ban: Likely to be between 4 and 52 weeks
The minimum ban for “intentional contact with the eye” is four weeks, while the high-end sanction can be more than 12+ weeks. In fact, the maximum ban can be as many as 52 weeks (one year), but it’s believed that will not be applied in this case due to the good disciplinary record of Etzebeth throughout his long international career.
In his 141 appearances for the Springboks, Etzebeth has never received a straight red card before, which will be a factor in his hearing. However, he has been banned for two weeks before for an attempted headbutt, but that was back in 2012.
If Etzebeth can prove the eye-gouge was not intentional and also prove mitigating circumstances like provocation, he may be able to keep the ban closer to the low end, which will be around four weeks.
After the match, Springbok skipper played down the incident when he said: “I am sure Eben did not mean that because he knows the consequences. I am sure it will be revealed that it was an accident.”