Former Springboks Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger feel Eben Etzebeth would have been better served if he had punched Welsh flank Alex Mann instead of eye-gouging him late in the Boks’ tour finale in Cardiff.
Etzebeth indicated to the officials that he had acted in retaliation for an indiscretion by Mann — unseen on television — but it was the Bok legend who was caught on camera.
The 34-year-old faced a World Rugby hearing on Tuesday night, but the panel could not reach a consensus on the verdict, and the matter has been remanded until Sunday.
Burger knows what he is talking about — in 2009, he was caught eye-gouging British and Irish Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald early in the second Test at Loftus Versfeld. He received an eight-week ban.
“It’s a straight red,” Burger said of the Etzebeth incident.
“We don’t know what happened before between him and Mann, but once your hand is in the face area, something can go wrong. If they freeze-frame it — you’re in trouble from the get-go.”
The former flank added that the Sharks will feel the impact of Etzebeth’s looming suspension. “Eben is a big loss for the Sharks. They need players like him now for the demanding Champions Cup.”
De Villiers said that Etzebeth appeared to have been provoked, but suggested he should have taken an alternative course of action.
“You see an elbow on Eben before that. But you just can’t get your hand near the eyes. Even if it’s not on purpose, you run that risk,” said De Villiers, who captained Etzebeth on many occasions.
“He should have just punched him,” De Villiers smiled.
But many a true word is spoken in jest, because Etzebeth’s suspension would be far lighter for a punch.
Burger concurred: “A punch would’ve been better. The entry level for an eye gouge is huge.”
