Overview
- An independent panel led by Christopher Quinlan KC imposed a 12-week suspension after ruling Eben Etzebeth made contact with Alex Mann’s eye.
- The punishment follows a 79th‑minute red card in South Africa’s 73-0 win in Cardiff, the first sending-off of Etzebeth’s 141-Test career by referee Luc Ramos.
- The ban will be served during club fixtures for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup, leaving Springbok selection largely unaffected in the near term.
- The committee recorded mitigation that included Etzebeth’s record and a character reference from All Blacks vice-captain Ardie Savea.
- New Zealand broadcasters Tony Johnson and Ian Smith condemned the sanction as too lenient, arguing offences in Tests should trigger suspensions that rule out Test matches.