Eben Etzebeth has got off lightly. On Thursday, the verdict came down on the Springboks lock, who was guilty of an act as unacceptable as it was dangerous against Wales. The former Toulon player has been handed a 12-week suspension and will therefore not be able to play before April 2026.

While some may see the sanction as heavy, it is worth remembering that the entry point for his suspension was 18 weeks. But once again, “the guilty plea, his apologies, his good conduct and his record” weighed in the balance.

In the 79th minute, Etzebeth had pushed one of his fingers into the eye of Wales’s Alex Mann following a scuffle.