Eben Etzebeth lands huge ban as South Africa talisman learns punishment for eye-gouging

The lock will be sidelined until April but will not miss any international matches. The period of his ban covers only games involving his club side, the Sharks, and he will sit out four games in the Champions Cup and a further eight in the United Rugby Championship. None of them involves Scottish sides.

Etzebeth, 34, was shown a permanent red card in South Africa’s 73-0 win over Wales in Cardiff last Saturday following the incident involving Welsh flanker Alex Mann.

The actions of the 141-times capped Springbok were widely condemned, with his own coach Rassie Erasmus admitting “it did not look good”.

Etzebeth pleaded guilty and apologised but said he had been acting in self-defence. “I did not, at any stage, aim for his eyes or intend to make contact with his eye,” Etzebeth was quoted as saying in the judgement released by the independent disciplinary committee.

It was the first red card of Etzebeth’s 13-year international career. Regarding the sanction, the disciplinary panel started at 18 weeks and reduced it by six after taking into consideration his previous disciplinary record.