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Commission twist in Eben Etzebeth saga

By Online Editors
Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

There was a dramatic twist in the ongoing saga involving veteran Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth and a brawl in Langebaan.

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On the eve of the team’s departure for the World Cup in Japan, Etzebeth appeared before the Human Rights Commission to answer questions related to the incident at the West Coast town at the weekend.

The accusations against Etzebeth – based on a grainy and dark video that shows very little – suggested he had assaulted a member of the public. It was alleged that Etzebeth‚ who was with members of his family and friends‚ also made racial slurs.

On Sunday there were swift calls from a political group, the Khoisan Defiance Campaign, for the Springbok to be axed and arrested for assault. Another statement was released by the group on Tuesday.

Despite the fallout over the incident, Bok coach Rassie Erasmus backed the lock and included Etzebeth in his squad for the World Cup. The team is due to leave for Japan on Friday.

(Continue reading below…)

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Speaking at the team’s departure media briefing, Erasmus confirmed the lock appeared in front of the HRC on Thursday. He reiterated again that he still believes the player’s version of the events.

“There is always a coach-player relationship and there is always trust in that,” said Erasmus. “There are a lot of this said on social media, not just about Eben, but a lot of things we have to handle daily. We just ignore because it is just nonsense.

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“This has become a real big thing. I have to believe what the player tells me. Until something else is proven differently, only then can we act.

“The update I can give you, which I only heard this morning, is that there was a complaint at the HRC. Eben and Eugene (Henning) our player affairs manager is there – in discussion with the Human Right Commission this afternoon. “There is no police or anything else that we have heard of. We have only heard of the complaint at the HRC.”

A South African Rugby statement, issued shortly after 3am on Friday morning, also confirmed that Etzebeth met with the Human Rights Commission in Johannesburg on Thursday. “The purpose of the meeting was to advise the player of the role the HRC takes in relation to a complaint received, as well as the subsequent media reports relating to it, and to establish a commitment of cooperation between the two parties,” the statement said.

“Both parties expressed their satisfaction with the envisaged process going forward and concluded by describing the meeting as constructive. The player denied any wrongdoing to the HRC and has pledged his full cooperation in the matter.”

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WATCH: The RugbyPass stadium guide to Shizuoka, one of the grounds that will host the Springboks during the  pool stage of the World Cup in Japan

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Trevor 2 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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