Springbok lock, Eben Etzebeth has been found Not Guilty of the alleged eye gouging he was cited for after the clash between the Springboks and Scotland. The Judicial Officer ruled that the contact was accidental and therefore did not constitute foul play.

The verdict of not guilty means the star lock is free to play in the final tour Test match for the 2012 season. Eben is considered an extremely important cog in the Springbok engine room and no doubt the news must have Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer extremely relieved.

Had Eben been found guilty it would have been a huge setback for the team’s chances in their match against old foe England at Twickenham, on Saturday.

 

Have a look at the “Evidence” yourself:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCFApTGl–0&feature=plcp

22 Responses to End of Year Tours: Eben Etzebeth off the hook

  • 1

    Damn I am fast 😆

    Great news for the Boks,

  • 2

    http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SpringboksintheUK/Eben-Etzebeth-cleared-to-face-Poms-20121120

    Alles net om die Bokke te ontstig, daar was nooit n uitgemaakte saak teen Eben nie.
    NOU hoop ek eers die Bokke moer vir n 100!!!!

    GO EBEN, JY IS DIE MAN! Speel hulle stukkend ou seun!!!!!!

  • 3

    It was a bad citing in any case.

  • 4

    Ja swaer…. will we see an apology from the citing officer… no we won’t!

    Was this a total sham and a possible attempt to disrupt the Bokke….. probably.

    Go Eben, play them to a standstill on Saturday!

  • 5

    Great news, then we all knew Eben would be cleared, he should never have been cited in the first place. This Citing Officer should be banned himself for a few weeks, making nothing into something just to distract the team and put pressure on the youngster, not fair on Eben to have gone through that. They should publicly apologise to Eben.

  • 6

    Look at it once? 1000 times? everytime it points to no gouging, and i have no douby that it is purely to disrupt the Springboks, and if memory serves me this has happened on quite a few end of year tours in the UK, Rudi maybe your memory is better then mine???

    Has there not been a few rediculous attempted citings against a bok player when toouring the UK and just before playing England??

  • 7

    Just some news re Bismark for those that is interested.

    21 November 2012 (06:56) – We haven’t seen much of him in the last three months, but burly Sharks and Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis can’t wait to get back onto the rugby field.
    Tearing knee ligaments in the first Test of the Castle Rugby Championship (against Argentina in August) required surgery, then rest and now he is in the rehabilitation stage of his recovery.

    “My rehab is going really well, every day there’s an improvement, every day I feel better,” he admits.

    “We’ve been training for about seven weeks to get some motion and mobility back in my leg and to bulk the leg up a bit. It is tough, but I am starting to push it now.

    “It was a big operation, for a rugby player, the cruciate ligament is just that – crucial. I am struggling, I won’t lie, but I had a great doctor who I have seen a few times since the operation and he’s very happy with the operation and progress and he believes the healing process is going according to plan. We have been working closely together and everything is going really well.”

    He adds that the expected return is eight to nine months post-operative, “but I don’t want to put a date to it, there are sometimes complications or the healing process is faster than expected.

    “I’ll play when I am ready, but I expect to miss the first few weeks of next year’s Super Rugby tournament.”

    Ever the consummate professional, he is doing everything necessary – with commitment – to build the strength and mobility back into the area. But the competitive streak in him cannot find peace in his enforced absence from rugby and he’d love to be with his Springbok team-mates overseas right now, rather than under the watchful eye of Sharks Biokineticist Jimmy Wright and the machinery and exercises designed to heal him.

    “To be honest, at the moment I can’t take any positives out of the break from rugby,” he admits. “I would have loved to play in the Currie Cup Final for The Sharks and definitely being involved in Test match rugby; that’s where you want to test yourself as a rugby player, at a higher level, playing in finals and Springbok rugby.”

    The Springboks have completed two-thirds of their overseas assignment, with their final Test coming against England to close out the tour this Saturday. Fortunately, there was to be no repeat of the loss the Springboks suffered at the hands of the Scottish two years ago.

    “We let ourselves down against Scotland in that game, that was probably my most embarrassing rugby moment of my life, losing to Scotland at Murrayfield, but we just weren’t on-song that day. You never want to blame the weather, but on that day, the wind was howling at about 500 kilometres an hour against us, and when we changed after half-time, the wind was coming at us from the other side. Those conditions are really different to anything we are used to.”

    We look forward to having Bismarck’s energy and physicality back on the field in 2013.

  • 8

    I have no doubt that had Bismark played the Sharks would have won the CC, he is their fetcher yes but he also puts fire under their bellies, just as he would have for the Boks, hitting rucks and also accuracy with the lineouts,

  • 9

    6 @ Sharks_forever:
    This was most definitely trying to distract our team. So unfair on Eben this, as it was in all the English papers as well. Disgraceful by the English Citing Officer.

    Eben never got to training either yesterday, then that could be a good thing I feel as he has played almost non-stop since Feb. Sometimes a rest does more good than training. Hope he has a absolute blinder on Saturday.

    Go and show em Eben!

  • 10

    8 @ Sharks_forever:
    I feel the same. Then our lineouts were a shambles as well. We need Kanko and Bissie back. Bissie is a HUGE player for us. None of our hookers come even close to Bissie. That is a worry as you see without him we can struggle.

    Did you read that Cloete might be leaving the Sharks? That would be a pity.

  • 11

    Poor citing. Ref was right there. Glad it is over.

  • 12

    @ Puma:

    Hi Pooms, yes i did, so too Nick Schonert

  • 13

    7 @ Sharks_forever:
    Next time you have some news on Bissie, put it up as a thread. Makes for good discussion, not only for us Sharks Supporters, also for others as he is a Bok player as well.

    I read at the time it would take that long, have spoken to someone that has had the same injury and it took a full 9 months before getting back. That takes him until the end of April before he will be back. We will miss Bissie at the start of SR. He is a massive loss for us, hope one of the other hookers can stand up this time.

  • 14

    12 @ Sharks_forever:
    Pity as you pointed out he is of a similar build to Brussow, also good as a fetcher. Was hoping to see more of him at the Sharks. Where is he going too you know? Pity about Schonert too, we losing too many players.

  • 15

    12 @ Sharks_forever:
    I really enjoyed watching the Kwas openside flank during CC. Think he has lot of class also has huge speed playing 6. Would not mind him coming to the Sharks….LOL. Then think Cheetahs has first choice. Though if ONLY we could get the Pumas 6. Think right now he is the best in the world there. He should come play SR..LOL. Think he plays his rugby in France. Saying that I think Flo is class as well. Has my full respect. Has to be one of our best Boks right now. He could be captain as well, once JDV stops playing which could be next year. Captain could come from Bissie, even if Strauss is playing awesome, still think Bissie is better and would always be first choice starter at Boks. He could be captain as well. Though at 6 only see Flo starting, so he could be captain and has good leadership qualities. Just can’t see JdV playing after next year. Or even with the Boks next year. Very good player but we have better.

  • 16

    @ Puma:

    true Pooms, Bissy fires up the rest of the pack.

  • 17

    If Flo does become Bok captain then he will have to come home to play his rugby. Just my feeling we can’t have the Bok captain playing his rugby in England. Think it is a good possiblity that he could become captain. Honestly can’t see JdV carrying on next year.

  • 18

    @ Puma:

    Nope < Bissy will be next Bok Capt

  • 19

    Was watching a repeat of our quarter final in the wc 2007 against Fiji last night. People forget just how good Butch was in that world cup. He was brilliant actually, so was Juan Smith what a legend of South African rugby, FdP too was at his absolute best in that wc.

  • 20

    18 @ Sharks_forever:
    I think he will be from what I have read from Meyer, though now it seems he has to fight for his place back, like most do after injury. Bissie is pure class and if he plays like only Bissie knows he will be back starting at hooker have no doubt. If that is the case he will be Bok Captain. Probably should have been made Sharks captain as well. Though Keegan has now turned into a very good captain too and is there for Currie Cup while Bissie will be with the Boks. Doubt Meyer will select Keegan again, pity as I think he does offer something different. Our loose trio to be honest have been good with the Boks, only complaint they are too slow.

  • 21

    @ Puma:
    Yes, he reached his peak then, a huge factor in the victory (as was Juan as you say)

  • 22

    Dear England, retribution will be swift and decisive, you go and have a good weekend now

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