South African rugby lock Eben Etzebeth has been suspended for 12 weeks following a red card for making contact with the eye area of Wales flanker Alex Mann.
Disciplinary Committee's Verdict
The incident occurred in the final minutes of South Africa's 73-0 victory over Wales in Cardiff. Match referee Luc Ramos issued the red card after reviewing footage of the clash.
A Six Nations disciplinary committee, overseeing the Quilter Nations Series, convened this week to hear the case. They determined that Etzebeth's contact with the eye of Alex Mann was intentional or reckless.
The committee set a mid-range entry point for the sanction at 18 weeks. However, due to the player's relatively clean disciplinary record and other mitigating factors, the ban was reduced by six weeks to the final term of 12 weeks.
Impact on Club and Country
The suspension rules the 34-year-old, who is the most-capped Springbok in history, out of a significant portion of the ongoing club season. Etzebeth has played twice this campaign for the Sharks, who are currently 14th in the United Rugby Championship with just one win.
His Durban-based club side opens its Investec Champions Cup campaign against Toulouse, featuring Antoine Dupont, this Sunday. Etzebeth is now in line to return to action in April 2026.
South Africa's next scheduled Test match is against England in Johannesburg in early July 2026, which falls on the first weekend of the new Nations Championship. The ban does not affect his availability for that fixture.
A Concerning Pattern for the Springboks
This red card was the third shown to a Springboks player during the November international window, although the sending off of Franco Mostert against Italy was later rescinded upon review.
The lengthy ban serves as a stark reminder of the severe penalties attached to offences involving the eye area in professional rugby, prioritising player safety above all.
