Springbok lock banned from All Blacks Test

WELLINGTON (AFP) –

South Africa’s Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth, pictured in August, has been banned for two weeks for a headbutt and will miss Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks.

Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has been banned for two weeks for a headbutt and will miss Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks.

The 20-year-old was found guilty of headbutting veteran Wallabies’ lock Nathan Sharpe in the first half of their 26-19 defeat in Australia last weekend.

SANZAR judicial officer Nigel Hampton found it was a deliberate attack and suspended Etzebeth for two weeks.

“The player brought his forehead forward and downward with a degree of speed and force into the nose area of the opposing player making contact with that player,” Hampton said in his ruling.

“This was a deliberate act done as a part of an episode of escalating ‘tit for tat’ pushing and shoving between the two players.”

Etzebeth will be able to play again from September 25 making him available for South Africa’s home Tests against the Wallabies and the All Blacks.

Meanwhile, the Springboks faced front row problems as well in their build up to Saturday’s Test in Dunedin with both tighthead props injured.

Jannie du Plessis has a hamstring problem and Pat Cilliers has ligament damage to an elbow. A decision will be Tuesday whether a replacement will be flown to New Zealand.

The All Blacks, unbeaten after three matches, lead the Rugby Championship and are five points clear of second-placed South Africa who have suffered a draw against Argentina and a loss to Australia in their last two games.