Overview
- An independent disciplinary committee operating under the Quilter Nations Series set an 18‑week mid-range entry point and cut it by six weeks for mitigation, confirming a 12‑week/12‑match suspension.
- The panel, chaired by Christopher Quinlan KC with Leon Lloyd and Becky Essex, ruled the contact with Wales flanker Alex Mann’s eye was intentional after reviewing video and testimony.
- In its written reasoning, the committee said Etzebeth “knew what he was doing,” noting his thumb was in the eye for about a second and rejecting claims that other players’ movement caused the contact.
- Etzebeth denied intending to target the eye but accepted the incident met the red‑card threshold, with mitigating factors including his clean prior record, remorse and character evidence.
- The ban covers the Sharks’ next 12 fixtures across the Champions Cup and URC through late March 2026, and the club had already deregistered him from its Champions Cup squad; Springbok Tests are unaffected until mid‑2026.