Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has opened up about the eye gouge incident that resulted in his getting a red card and lengthy ban.
Springbok lock and Test centurion Eben Etzebeth has opened up about the eye-gouge that has cost him 12 matches on the sidelines.
Etzebeth was last week banned for the matches after being involved in an incident against Wales in Cardiff at the end of November. Footage late in the game showed the Test star sticking his finger in the eye of Welsh player Alex Mann.
The Bok lock was red carded in the win by the Boks and subsequently handed a ban that will see him return to action only towards the end of March next year. All the matches he will miss will be for the Sharks.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Etzebeth explains in detail what happened in the incident and also apologises for his actions.
He says he accepts guilt and states he made a mistake and is willing to serve a suspension which he deserves.
He further states his actions were not intentional. Also, he says: I’m sorry for letting you and the game down. That was my first red card since I started playing. I want it to be my last.
“To the people that were angry and upset with my actions, I understand — because it didn’t look good on the slow motion replay and hopefully you’ve got a bit more context now.”
