The Springboks lock has learned his fate after the ugly incident at the end of the match last weekendEben Etzebeth of South Africa clashes with Alex Mann and is red carded for eye gouging (Image: 2025 Getty Images)

South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth has been hit with a 12-week ban after being sent off for an eye gouge on Wales flanker Alex Mann during last weekend’s 73-0 demolition in Cardiff.

The Springboks lock, the most capped player in his nation’s history, was shown a red card by referee Luc Ramos in the closing stages after match officials reviewed footage of the incident.

A Six Nations disciplinary committee, operating under the Quilter Nations Series, has now handed down a lengthy ban which will rule Etzebeth out for most of the remainder of the club season.

The panel deemed the offence to be intentional eye contact, setting a mid-range entry point of 18 weeks.

With Etzebeth’s relatively clean disciplinary record and other mitigating factors including a guilty plea taken into account, the punishment was reduced to 12 weeks.

The statement read: “South Africa number 19, Eben Etzebeth, appeared before an independent Disciplinary Committee via video link having received a red card for an act of foul play contrary to Law 9.12 in the match between South Africa and Wales on Saturday 22 November 2025.

“The independent Disciplinary Committee was chaired by Christopher Quinlan KC, joined by former international players Leon Lloyd (England) and Becky Essex (England).

“Having considered the Player’s and other evidence and reviewed the footage, and for the reasons set out in the full written decision (which is available now in the discipline section of the Six Nations Rugby website), the Disciplinary Committee have determined that contact with the eye was intentional and a mid-range entry point of eighteen weeks/matches was appropriate. Some mitigating factors, including the Player’s previous record, were applied by the Committee reducing the eighteen week entry point by six weeks to twelve weeks/matches.”

Etzebeth has played just twice this season for the Sharks, who kick off their Investec Champions Cup campaign against Toulouse on Sunday. The Durban side currently sit 14th in the URC after winning only one match.

The 34-year-old is expected to return to action in April.

Etzebeth will miss 12 matches but crucially they will all be for the Sharks.

South Africa’s next international fixture is scheduled for July 2026, when they face England in Johannesburg on the opening weekend of the inaugural Nations Championship.

The incident marked the third red card shown to a Springbok in November, although Franco Mostert’s dismissal against Italy was later overturned.

The suspension covers the following matches:

7 December 2025 – Toulouse vs Sharks, EPCR Champions Cup13 December 2025 – Sharks vs Saracens, EPCR Champions Cup20 December 2025 – Sharks vs Bulls, United Rugby Championship3 January 2026 – Lions vs Sharks, United Rugby Championship10 January 2026 – Sale Sharks vs Sharks, EPCR Champions Cup17 January 2026 – Sharks vs Clermont, EPCR Champions Cup24 January 2026 – Stormers vs Sharks, United Rugby Championship31 January 2026 – Sharks vs Stormers, United Rugby Championship21 February 2026 – Sharks vs Lions, United Rugby Championship28 February 2026 – Bulls vs Sharks, United Rugby Championship21 March 2026 – Sharks vs Munster, United Rugby Championship27 March 2026 – Sharks vs Cardiff Rugby, United Rugby Championship