South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth has been banned after being despatched off for an eye fixed gouge on Wales flanker Alex Mann through the Springboks’ 73-0 win in Cardiff.
Eben Etzebeth has been banned. (Picture: 2025 Getty Photographs)
South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth has been slapped with a 12-week suspension following his sending-off for an eye fixed gouge on Wales flanker Alex Mann throughout final weekend’s crushing 73-0 victory in Cardiff. The Springboks’ second row, his nation’s most-capped participant of all time, noticed purple from referee Luc Ramos within the dying moments after match officers studied replays of the incident.
A Six Nations disciplinary panel, appearing underneath the Nations Collection rules, has now issued a considerable ban that may sideline Etzebeth for the majority of what stays of the membership marketing campaign. The committee dominated the offence constituted deliberate eye contact, establishing a mid-range place to begin of 18 weeks.
Considering Etzebeth’s largely unblemished disciplinary historical past alongside different mitigating circumstances together with an act of contrition, the sanction was minimize to 12 weeks.
The assertion confirmed: “South Africa quantity 19, Eben Etzebeth, appeared earlier than an impartial Disciplinary Committee through video hyperlink having acquired a purple card for an act of foul play opposite to Regulation 9.12 within the match between South Africa and Wales on Saturday 22 November 2025.
“The impartial Disciplinary Committee was chaired by Christopher Quinlan KC, joined by former worldwide gamers Leon Lloyd (England) and Becky Essex (England).
“Having thought of the Participant’s and different proof and reviewed the footage, and for the explanations set out within the full written resolution (which is offered now within the self-discipline part of the Six Nations Rugby web site), the Disciplinary Committee have decided that contact with the attention was intentional and a mid-range entry level of eighteen weeks/matches was applicable. Some mitigating components, together with the Participant’s earlier document, had been utilized by the Committee lowering the eighteen week entry level by six weeks to 12 weeks/matches.”
Eben Etzebeth of South Africa clashes with Alex Mann of Wales. (Picture: Getty Photographs)
Etzebeth has solely made two appearances this season for the Sharks, who’re set to begin their Investec Champions Cup marketing campaign towards Toulouse on Sunday. The Durban-based group at the moment languishes at 14th place within the URC, having secured only one victory.
The 34-year-old is predicted to make his comeback in April.
Etzebeth shall be sidelined for 12 matches, all of which shall be essential video games for the Sharks.
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South Africa’s subsequent worldwide match is scheduled for July 2026, when they may face England in Johannesburg through the opening weekend of the inaugural Nations Championship.
This incident marks the third purple card handed to a Springbok participant in November, though Franco Mostert’s expulsion towards Italy was subsequently rescinded.
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