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The South African Springboks concluded their autumn international campaign with a resounding 73-0 victory over Wales, achieving a clean sweep. However, the dominant performance was overshadowed by a controversial red card issued to legendary lock Eben Etzebeth in the final moments of the match.
Etzebeth, who had just scored the Springboks’ final try, was dismissed by referee Luc Ramos in the 79th minute for making contact with the left eye of Wales flanker Alex Mann with his thumb during a scuffle. Following the match, Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, “It didn’t look good and it was a justified red card.” He added, “I don’t think that the optics were great,” indicating the incident was an undesirable end to the game.
Millenium TV has learned that Etzebeth, who earned his 141st cap, a Springboks record, now faces a potentially lengthy suspension. World Rugby regulations stipulate that bans for eye gouging can range from 12 weeks for low-end foul play to a maximum of 208 weeks for intentional gouging, while reckless contact can incur penalties from six to 208 weeks. This ban could significantly impact his upcoming club commitments with the Sharks, who are set to begin their Champions Cup season against Toulouse on December 7, followed by a home game against Saracens and several South African derbies.
The match itself was a one-sided affair, with the world champion Springboks overpowering Wales from the outset. For Wales, the defeat marks a challenging start to Steve Tandy’s tenure, which has seen three heavy autumn losses to South Africa, New Zealand, and Argentina, alongside a narrow win against Japan. The Welsh side has now lost 21 of their last 23 Test matches.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Erasmus offered words of encouragement for the Welsh team. “The Welsh are not guys that just roll over and take the shots, they fight until the end,” he remarked, praising his team’s clinical performance. He expressed confidence in Wales’ ability to recover, drawing parallels to the Springboks’ own journey from being ranked sixth globally to winning the World Cup.
South Africa concludes the year as the number one ranked team in the world, having also secured back-to-back Rugby Championship titles, showcasing their formidable depth and power.
© Millenium TV
