By Dylan Bettencourt
- The lock says he made a mistake and never intended to hurt Alex Mann after footage showed him sticking a finger in the player’s eye.
- Etzebeth will miss all upcoming Sharks matches and will only return to the field in late March.
Springbok star Eben Etzebeth has owned up to his mistake.
The giant lock has broken his silence after being slapped with a massive 12-match ban for eye-gouging.
Etzebeth was red-carded during the Boks’ victory over Wales in Cardiff in late November.
Footage from the game showed him sticking his finger into the eye of Welsh player Alex Mann.
Now, Etzebeth is paying the price. He will miss every scheduled match for the Sharks and won’t play again until the end of March.
In a statement released on social media, the World Cup winner said he accepts the punishment.
“I made a mistake and I’ll serve the suspension I deserve,” he said.
Etzebeth insisted he never meant to hurt anyone. He apologised to the fans and the rugby world for letting them down.
“That was my first red card since I started playing – and I want it to be my last,” he added.
He also addressed the fans who were disappointed by the ugly incident.
“To the people that were angry and upset with my actions, I understand, because it didn’t look good on the slow motion replay,” he said.
Pictured above: Eben Etzebeth.
Image source: @Springboks
