Off the hook: Eben Etzebeth
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South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth is free to play against England on Saturday after being cleared of eye-gouging against Scotland last weekend.
A disciplinary hearing examined footage of an incident in the second half of South Africa's 21-10 win at Murrayfield involving the second-row and Scotland fly-half Greig Laidlaw.
The Springbok lock was cited for allegedly making contact with the "eye or eye area" of Laidlaw.
The South African Rugby Union announced the verdict on their official Twitter page, saying: "Good news on Eben Etzebeth - he's not guilty and free to play against England on Saturday."
Comments
Stellenbosched2 says...
Ok then. APV1 could have constructed his original post a bit better. This is a rugby site and not an English language test. We have all made bugger-ups in posting. On with the rugby test match this Saturday and the next flair up amongst us (by tomorrow morning no doubt).
Posted 15:20 22nd November 2012
APV1 says...
@ Zambokke - shame you forgot to read (and / or quote) the rest, eh? I am a big fan of SA and have plenty of Saffa friends, both here in the UK and in SA. I think I have even more than the 28 another poster mentioned on another thread! I was illustrating a point, albeit badly. And to an extent, it worked. Almost.
@ JayStarr - we've come to expect better than you. No conspiricy-theories necessary please. You'll end up like BA - bitter and deluded. There was contact with the eye area. It was reported (cited) so that it could be looked at in more detail. It was considered. Nothing in it. End of story. That's what should happen. Wouldn't you agree that it's worth them being a little over-vigilant in these cases, rather than miss some altogether?
And Flo's your best player.
@ Sasquatch - as you say, we don't always agree. But thank you for understanding what I (clumsily) was trying to show.
@ Spartacus - no. We're lovers. And sometimes she's really rough. And sometimes I like it like that. ;-)
Posted 10:52 22nd November 2012
Bambo says...
BokAvenger - I feel you are perhaps quite correct to take against a poster for insulting your country or people (even if it turns out the insult was a poorly composed joke or irony - 'I didn't mean it that way' is a crap defence). I've had issues over inappropriate comments when discussing rugby for some time here! However, I think you're quite incorrect to see some English conspiracy behind this case. Don't you see that you're dissing the whole game (and the nationality of referees?) by saying so?
Good to see a class player getting on with his game. Case closed.
Posted 23:06 21st November 2012
LeftRightOut says...
There should be a citing commission to cite the citing officers... and a citing commission to cite the idiots on this site that cite the citations as conspiracy. I would like to ban you all for a season for your cynical play
Posted 22:11 21st November 2012
Spartacus says...
Is it true that APV1 and BokAvenger are man and wife?
Posted 22:02 21st November 2012
KiwiJoe says...
Fair result, as mentioned accidental contact to the eye area, a far cry from deliberate,malicious play.
Look forward to seeing him play on Saturday, a very promising, exciting young player.
Only thing is, the IRB/ Rabid Media Hacks will probably protest against the verdict and ask for a 8 months ban like the Thomson citing.
Posted 21:32 21st November 2012
Sasquatch says...
@Zambokke says...
Quote APV1 earleir in the week "You're like all Bok supporters and Saffas the world over. A stupid thug. All brawn and no brains. Just like all Saffas. You probably think gouging is acceptable. How about we rake people's eyes with our studs too? That'd be fun."
Too late to back-pedal APV1, we know what you think of us.
You guys are missing the point APV1 was making in that statement. Branding him anti-saffa in a later thread is just plain dumb and you deserve to be mocked as such. He did explain himself in a later post to clarify his meaning to all the simpletons who missed it first time round.
I don't agree with everything the guy says but clearly a few of my fellow Saffa's are making a meal out of nothing, and PR are stoking the fire a few days before a test.
Posted 20:03 21st November 2012
BokAvenger says...
Poms. What are they good for?
Posted 19:59 21st November 2012
SheeshMrRef says...
Hear, hear Zambokke. Being more of brawn than brain, I do struggle understanding what Mr. Mansell was thinking when he cited Eben. Then again, maybe Greig Laidlaw's got eyes on his chin. However, thanks Mr. Mansell for motivating the Boks. No sports psychologist could've done a better job.
Posted 18:27 21st November 2012
JayStarr says...
This kind of vindictive accusation could only have come from an Englishman... Nice try you sly a-hole. A week before the Springboks play your team, you try and get something on their best player. Even the Scottish player who was supposedly eye-gouged didn't know what the hell this guy was talking about. I say there should be a citing commission to cite the citing officers...
Posted 15:42 21st November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
@Carpelone: at times even hysterical.
Posted 15:23 21st November 2012
Zambokke says...
Quote APV1 earleir in the week "You're like all Bok supporters and Saffas the world over. A stupid thug. All brawn and no brains. Just like all Saffas. You probably think gouging is acceptable. How about we rake people's eyes with our studs too? That'd be fun."
Too late to back-pedal APV1, we know what you think of us.
I hope that Eben can now focus on England - hard but fair! Believe it or not we do not condone violence and we believe in fairness and innocent until proven guilty.
Posted 14:10 21st November 2012
carpelone says...
ArmchairGeneral
ha, ha. Do you think you are funny, don't you?
Latin.
Would rather say awesome, otherwise you can be taken as a mar......con.
Posted 13:15 21st November 2012
melkdave says...
The actual ruling was the contact wih the eye area was accidental ,and no fault of the player.Big difference there bokke fans from ,saying nothing happened.He made contact with the eye area ,it was investigated ,and found it was not caused by Etzebeth .So the right verdict,and the right thing to do to investigate it .in the 1st place.
Posted 10:51 21st November 2012
APV1 says...
@ BokAvenger - your issue is, you are an idiot. You let your country-folk down, by having the "Bok" in your name.
You take things out of context and use words to suit your purpose and daft conspiricy theories. I didn't accuse EE of anything of the sort, not that you care what people write. If I knew you personally, I'd be ashamed. I know some of your fellow Saffas are, and rightly so.
@ latin - is he "pretty" enough to be an English winger, though (no "whinger" jokes necessary!)..?
Posted 10:43 21st November 2012
roddyo says...
I saw Eben when in Capetown last monthe Currie cup day. Obviously a huge talent and someone to look forward to over the next ten years. As a Welshman I am glad to see the citing revoked but if I was English I might not feel this way. They have to play RSA Saturday and we only have the All Blacks
Posted 10:22 21st November 2012
StunTheMullet says...
Where's the outrage from the IRB mouthpieces?
Pathetic - should be banned for 75 years.
Posted 09:43 21st November 2012
craigsman says...
BokAvenger - surely you tarnish us all with the same brush. Much like the English posters who called all Saffas as thugs.
My view - Most Saffas I have met have been thoroughly great people and I am friends with a few living in London.
Also, innocent until proven guilty. And he is innocent so that is ok. Sometimes things like this happen. I am pretty sure there is no conspiracy by the RFU and the officials. Otherwise we would have beaten the boks and kiwis in the last 10 years.
Posted 09:33 21st November 2012
Trinats2 says...
BokAvenger:
Shouldn't gloat too much before a test match, especially as a saffa.
IRB citing is like a lucky dip.
Posted 09:32 21st November 2012
Doyley says...
Do people really think that because the citing commissioner is English that they are targeting players so they don't play against England? Don't be so ridiculous. I'm English and I want to see Etzebeth playing.
Posted 09:27 21st November 2012