Eben Etzebeth, the Springboks lock, has accepted a 12-week ban for eye-gouging Wales's Alex Mann but insists the contact was not intentional, contradicting the disciplinary committee's verdict. In an Instagram post on Wednesday, the 34-year-old double Rugby World Cup winner apologised, stating 'unfortunately mistakes happen'.
The Sharks second row was handed an 18-week suspension for a mid-range offence, reduced to 12 weeks due to mitigating factors including his previous good disciplinary record. Etzebeth will be sidelined until April.
In his post, Etzebeth claimed he was struck by Mann in the neck or chin area before retaliating with an open-handed blow. He argued that two Welsh players and a teammate altered the 'dynamic', leading to accidental eye contact. 'I would never do something like this on purpose,' he wrote.
However, the independent disciplinary committee stated: 'Having considered the Player's and other evidence and reviewed the footage ... the Disciplinary Committee have determined that contact with the eye was intentional.'
