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'There's no way': Siya Kolisi believes Etzebeth innocent of deliberate intent
By Ben Smith
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has defended teammate and good friend Eben Etzebeth and claimed that there was no intent behind the scuffle that saw the lock red carded in Cardiff.
Etzebeth was judged to have eye-gouged opponent Alex Mann with a couple of minutes remaining with the Springboks comfortably up 73-0. After review, the officials issued a permanent red card.
Speaking after the match, Kolisi told media he believed that Etzebeth was innocent of any deliberate intent in the scuffle. The pair hold a close relationship having been long-time teammates at the Stormers and within the Springboks.
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Kolisi revealed that Etzebeth had apologised to Mann after the game to put the incident to rest.
“I’m sure he didn’t mean to do that on purpose. There’s no way,” Kolisi told media.
“If you go for an eye-gouge, you know what happens after that [a red card and ban].
“Eben’s said sorry to the guy already. But I don’t want that to be the highlight of the day. It’s been a good day.”
Regardless of Kolisi’s defence, Etzebeth could be looking at an extended stint on the sidelines.
After an eye-gouge against the British & Irish Lions in 2009, Springbok flanker Schalk Burger was handed an eight-week ban.
More recently in the URC, winger Makazole Mapimpi copped a three-match ban in the URC after an incident against Cardiff which went undetected during the game in January this year.
A judiciary found him guilty of eye-gouging and handed out the suspension after also taking to account a similar previous incident in 2023 against Bordeaux-Bègles scrumhalf Maxime Lucu in 2023.
Etzebeth became the third Springbok lock during this Autumn period to receive a red card, following Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert.
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