South Africa hooker Bismarck du Plessis has been banned for three weeks following a SANZAR judicial hearing in Dunedin on Sunday.
The 24-year-old was cited after Saturday's 30-28 Tri-Nations victory against New Zealand at Carisbrook for coming into "contact with the eyes or eye area" of All Blacks flanker Adam Thomson after 11 minutes of the match.
However, he was cleared of charges that he eye-gouged Thomson, with SANZAR judicial officer Kim Garling ruling the contact was careless and not deliberate.
Garling viewed video footage of the incident, heard evidence from du Plessis and received reports from the match referee and assistant referees.
Du Plessis admitted his fist had come into contact with Thomson's lower cheek but did not come into contact with the eye itself.
Television footage confirmed that there was no visible mark to the face of Thomson as a result of the contact.
Garling concluded that the contact was careless and not deliberate and therefore the punishment should be at the lower end of the scale.
"Any action by a player in which fingers, a hand, or a knuckle comes into contact with the eye or eye area of a player is very serious and the IRB recommended penalties reflect that because of the potential for permanent damage to the sight of a player," said Garling.
He said Du Plessis had conceded the carelessness of his actions at the first available opportunity when the matter came before the judiciary and had shown regret for his actions.
The ban will run up to and including August 3, meaning the hooker will miss next weekend's Tri-Nations clash against Australia in Perth but will be available again for the match against Argentina in Johannesburg on August 9.
Springbok management announced on Sunday that they would not be appealing against the ruling.
The suspension leaves South Africa coach Peter de Villiers with a headache. The Boks are already without captain and first-choice hooker John Smit, and will need to call upon a new number two for a third match in succession.
Stormers hooker Schalk Brits is now in pole-position to face the Wallabies - he was summoned to New Zealand as cover for Smit and was on the bench in Dunedin.
Cheetahs hooker Adriaan Strauss is set to deputise having been called up to replace Du Plessis.
The 23-year-old is due to join the Boks in Perth on Tuesday.
Comments
Be the first to comment on this story..