The latest rugby news from Wales and around the world
These are your latest rugby headlines on Monday, March 29.
Etzebeth to return
South Africa legend Eben Etzebeth is set to return to action after completing his suspension for eye-gouging Wales back rower Alex Mann in the autumn.
The veteran lock was at the centre of a scuffle that broke out in the closing moments of the Springboks’ 73-0 demolition of Steve Tandy’s side at the Principality Stadium in November, and was caught on camera making contact with Mann’s eye with his thumb.
His actions were widely slammed as “disgraceful” and after appearing before a disciplinary panel, he was slapped with a 12-week ban from rugby.
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Etzebeth has not missed any Springboks games as a result of his suspension, instead missing the past three months of the season for club side Sharks. However, his side’s win over Cardiff in Durban on Saturday was the 12th and final game of his ban and he is now free to return and feature for the Sharks in their Challenge Cup clash with Connacht this weekend.
The 34-year-old’s comeback is set to give the South African URC outfit a huge boost following a recent injury crisis that has seen 18 players sidelined, with Springbok stars Aphelele Fassi, Bongi Mbonambi, Grant Williams and Siya Kolisi among the players not considered for selection against Cardiff due to injury.
While Etzebeth was temporarily deregistered as a player by the Sharks during his suspension, he took on a temporary coaching role with the club’s juniors as well as some senior players.
After being banned, he took to social media to apologise for his actions, but stressed that they were “never intentional” and claimed that an initial strike from Mann had sparked his reaction.
“I accept guilt,” he wrote. “I made a mistake and I’m willing to serve a suspension which I deserve. I don’t want young kids who look up to the Springboks to think that it’s OK to eye gouge someone, because it’s not… unfortunately mistakes happen and I made a big one.
“The scuffle was basically over when Wales’ No.7 struck me with an open hand to my chin/neck. You can see me looking at the assistant referee and waiting for a reaction… then I got another pull on my jersey before I went in with a similar type of action.”
“It was never intentional,” Etzebeth added. “I would never do something like this on purpose — I know what the consequences are after playing rugby for a few years.
“I’m sorry for letting you and the game down. To the people that were angry and upset with my actions, I understand — because it didn’t look good on the slow-motion replay. Hopefully you’ve got a bit more context now.”
New Wales star has ‘real bright future’
Bath Rugby boss Johann van Graan heaped praise on new Wales international Louis Hennessey after the versatile back marked his 22nd birthday with a try against Sale Sharks.
Hennessey was handed his fourth start of the PREM Rugby season and crossed the whitewash for the opening try of the second half as his side saw off Sale with a 31-26 win at the CorpAcq Stadium.
It was also his first start since winning his first cap for Wales, after being called into Steve Tandy’s squad for the Six Nations and making his debut from the bench against Ireland in the fourth round of the championship.
He has been hailed to go from strength to strength for club and country and, ahead of kick-off, van Graan was effusive in his praise of the Welshman who he believes has “a real bright future”.
“Firstly, it’s his birthday today, he’s 22 years old today,” the Bath boss told TNT Sports. “He’s made massive strides be it on the wing or in the centre.
“It’s great that he will be involved in the 23 today and every time he has got a start, he’s used it.The previous time was against Gloucester on the wing and before that it was Leicester in the centre.
“So, yeah, there’s a real bright future for Louis,” he added. “He’s been here since I came in three-and-a-half years ago and I’m so glad for him.”
An entertaining clash saw Sale score four tries through Tom O’Flaherty, Rob du Preez, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Tom Roebuck, with George Ford claiming three conversions.
But an under-strength Bath side ran in five tries from Dan Frost, Hennessey, Ethan Staddon, Bernard van der Linde and Alfie Barbeary to edge the win, with Santi Carreras converting three of them.
Wallabies giant suffers devastating injury blow
Australia lock Will Skelton has suffered a suspected ruptured Achilles, according to reports in France.
The Wallabies star left the field in the first half of his La Rochelle side’s Top 14 defeat to Bayonne on Saturday and later shared a photo on his Instagram account of his right foot in a moon boot, with the caption “C’est la vie” (“That’s life”).
It comes days after Skelton made his return to action for his club following a calf injury, having also struggled with an ankle problem earlier in the season.
After the match, La Rochelle assistant coach Remi Tales said: “There’s a suspected Achilles tendon rupture.
“It’s tough for a player like him, given the effort he’s put in to come back after his calf injury. We’re all thinking of him and hope he recovers quickly, because we need him.”
If Skelton’s Achilles has been fully ruptured, he could spend up to six months on the sidelines and miss the Wallabies’ clashes with Ireland, France and Italy when the inaugural Nations Championship kicks off in July.
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