Pietersen Admits Sharks Will Miss Etzebeth Due To A Ban
Sharks coach JP Pietersen says the experience of two-time Rugby World Cup winner Eben Etzebeth will be sorely missed as the lock serves a suspension that will keep him sidelined until March next year.
According to Pietersen, Etzebeth has not been involved in Sharks training and is only expected to return in January, where he will assist in mentoring the locks and the forwards.
Etzebeth was handed a 12-match ban after being found guilty of intentional eye contact with Wales flanker Alex Mann during South Africa’s 73–0 victory over Wales in November in the Autumn Nations Series.
The incident occurred just before the final whistle and cast a shadow over the Springboks’ emphatic win. Etzebeth’s thumb made contact with Mann’s eye, prompting French referee Luc Ramos to issue a straight red card to the experienced lock in the referee’s first match officiating the Springboks.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and appeared to overshadow what was a record-breaking victory for the reigning Rugby World Cup champions.
The disciplinary committee deemed Etzebeth’s action intentional and applied a mid-range entry point sanction of 18 weeks. Six weeks were subsequently deducted due to mitigating factors, including Etzebeth’s guilty plea, apology, good conduct and previously clean disciplinary record, having never been sent off in Test rugby across his illustrious 141-cap international career.
“Eben is obviously a big miss,” Pietersen said.
“The man has played over 100 Test matches — 141 caps — and is the most capped Springbok in history. He will always be missed.
“We will welcome him back in January after the festive break. He will be involved in training, helping us with coaching, especially the locks and the forwards.”
The Sharks have faced a similar situation before, with Etzebeth missing five months of action last season after suffering a concussion against Exeter Chiefs during the pool stage of the Investec Champions Cup at Kings Park Stadium on 7 December.
The veteran lock returned in April against Edinburgh in a Vodacom United Rugby Championship away fixture, playing the full match as the Sharks secured a 18–17 victory.
Last season, the Sharks reached the URC semi-finals before being knocked out by Jake White’s Bulls. The challenge now is whether they can cope once again without one of the world’s premier locks.
“His experience will be very helpful when he returns in January to guide us through the break,” added Pietersen, who has won two matches since taking charge of the Sharks.
“We will miss him, but credit must go to Jason Jenkins for stepping up for the past two weeks.
“He was actually suffering from gastro and played while not at full strength, so massive credit to him for digging deep and fighting through it.”
The Sharks will return to action when they host the Emirates Lions in a Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash at Kings Park Stadium on 3 January 2026.
