Former Irish referee boss Owen Doyle has sounded the alarm, calling for a hefty punishment for Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth after a glaringly violent incident during a match against Wales. The South African star faced a red card for intentionally pressing his thumb into Welsh flanker Alex Mann's eye during their 73-0 rout by South Africa. Etzebeth is now bracing for a disciplinary hearing that will decide the length of his suspension.
Eye-related infractions in rugby can lead to suspensions as lengthy as four years if found intentional or reckless, though lighter contacts could see minimal two-week bans with appropriate mitigations. Amidst swirling rumors, some advocate that Etzebeth was merely retaliating to a similar assault by Mann, highlighted by a vague screenshot of the prior event circulating online. Nonetheless, the Welsh player has not been cited for any wrongdoing.
"Eben Etzebeth. His thumb in the eye of Wales’ Alex Mann is, unsurprisingly, the talk of the town. Whichever way you look at it, it was an egregious act impossible to mitigate,"
Doyle expressed in his column for the Irish Times. He sternly added,
"But it cannot be a question of an eye for an eye, that’s a level of retaliation which cannot be acceptable."
Doyle insists that if provocation is established, each incident must be judged independently, pressing the judiciary not to be lenient as the stakes are too high for the sport. The controversy has cast a shadow over what has been an eventful November for the Springboks, marked by their third red card in the series following high tackles from fellow locks Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert in earlier games.
While De Jager was suspended, Mostert's red card was later overturned, deemed to be a chest-level contact. Doyle pointed out the broader officiating challenges, noting, "Some great rugby this autumn has been badly tarnished by foul play, constant TMO interruptions and referees being the center of attention." He concluded that the immense pressure from decision protocols and detailed performance analyses are overwhelming referees, complicating their roles significantly.
The unfolding drama surrounding Etzebeth's actions and the impending judicial review remains a focal point as the rugby community awaits a resolution that could set a precedent for handling such severe on-field misconduct.
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Former Irish referee boss Owen Doyle has sounded the alarm, calling for a hefty punishment for Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth after a glaringly violent incident during a match against Wales. The South African star faced a red card for intentionally pressing his thumb into Welsh flanker Alex Mann's eye during their 73-0 rout by South Africa. Etzebeth is now bracing for a disciplinary hearing that will decide the length of his suspension.
Eye-related infractions in rugby can lead to suspensions as lengthy as four years if found intentional or reckless, though lighter contacts could see minimal two-week bans with appropriate mitigations. Amidst swirling rumors, some advocate that Etzebeth was merely retaliating to a similar assault by Mann, highlighted by a vague screenshot of the prior event circulating online. Nonetheless, the Welsh player has not been cited for any wrongdoing.
"Eben Etzebeth. His thumb in the eye of Wales’ Alex Mann is, unsurprisingly, the talk of the town. Whichever way you look at it, it was an egregious act impossible to mitigate,"
Doyle expressed in his column for the Irish Times. He sternly added,"But it cannot be a question of an eye for an eye, that’s a level of retaliation which cannot be acceptable."
Doyle insists that if provocation is established, each incident must be judged independently, pressing the judiciary not to be lenient as the stakes are too high for the sport. The controversy has cast a shadow over what has been an eventful November for the Springboks, marked by their third red card in the series following high tackles from fellow locks Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert in earlier games.
While De Jager was suspended, Mostert's red card was later overturned, deemed to be a chest-level contact. Doyle pointed out the broader officiating challenges, noting, "Some great rugby this autumn has been badly tarnished by foul play, constant TMO interruptions and referees being the center of attention." He concluded that the immense pressure from decision protocols and detailed performance analyses are overwhelming referees, complicating their roles significantly.
The unfolding drama surrounding Etzebeth's actions and the impending judicial review remains a focal point as the rugby community awaits a resolution that could set a precedent for handling such severe on-field misconduct.