Eben Etzebeth, the Springboks lock, has accepted a 12-week ban for eye-gouging Wales' Alex Mann but insists the act was never intentional, contradicting the disciplinary committee's verdict. In an Instagram post on Wednesday, the 34-year-old double Rugby World Cup winner apologised, stating that 'unfortunately mistakes happen'.
The Sharks second row was handed an 18-week ban for a mid-range offence, reduced to 12 weeks due to mitigating factors including his previous good disciplinary record. He will be sidelined until April. Etzebeth wrote: 'I accept guilt. I made a mistake and I'm willing to serve a suspension which I deserve.'
Etzebeth claimed he had been struck by Mann in the neck/chin area before retaliating with an open-handed blow. He said two Welsh players and a teammate altered the 'dynamic', leading to an accidental eye-gouge. 'You can clearly see my first point of contact is against his shoulder with an open hand,' 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.' Etzebeth maintained: 'I would never do something like this on purpose.'
