Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth handed long ban after red card for eye gouge
South Africa star learns punishment after eye gouge against Wales
- South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth has been handed a 12-week ban for eye-gouging Wales flanker Alex Mann.
- Etzebeth received a red card during his side’s 73-0 victory in Cardiff on Saturday after match officials reviewed footage of the incident.
- A disciplinary committee determined the contact with Mann's eye was intentional, initially setting an 18-week entry point for the sanction.
- The ban was reduced by six weeks due to Etzebeth’s relatively clean record and other mitigating factors, including a partial admission of foul play.
- The most-capped Springboks player is now scheduled to return to action in April, missing a significant portion of his club side Sharks' campaign.