Etzebeth to learn his fate on Tuesday after red card against Wales

Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth will appear before a disciplinary committee on Tuesday afternoon where he will hear his fate, according to News 24, following the red card he received for an alleged eye gouge during last Saturday’s Test against Wales in Cardiff.

Etzebeth got involved in a scuffle late in the game after coming on as a replacement and following the intervention of the Television Match Official, the veteran lock was seen on replays making contact with the eyes of Welsh player Alex Mann using his fingers.

Etzebeth was sent off the field.

The Boks won the match 73-0,their fifth straight victory in November on tour of Europe. They also beat Japan, France, Ireland and Italy.

According to News24, Etzebeth’s representatives will also put forward the lock’s case on Tuesday.

If found guilty of eye gouging, the lock will be banned from rugby from anything between four weeks (low-end contact with eye area) and 12-plus weeks (top-end).

“Reckless” contact with the eyes is more harshly punished as in “intentional” contact with the eyes.

Sharks impact

It has been widely reported on social media that Etzebeth’s red card on Saturday was his first in 141 Tests for the Boks.

Any ban will impact the Sharks the most as the Boks only play again next June. The Sharks though, for whom Etzebeth plays, have big EPCR and United Rugby Championship matches coming up in the coming weeks.

And the Sharks could do with the experience of Etzebeth to make their mark over the festive season. The Durban-based side are down in 14th position in the URC with just one win from six matches.

They get their EPCR Champions Cup campaign underway on Sunday with a big match against French side Toulouse, in Toulouse.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said on Saturday night, after the game in Cardiff, he felt the red card shown to Etzebeth was “justified”.