Comment by Mike Greenaway
It seems the only people who do not doubt what happened in the André Esterhuizen tackle on a Portugal player is the World Rugby committee that has whacked him with a hefty ban.
Esterhuizen was initially issued a yellow card for alleged head-to-head contact at the Free State Stadium in the third minute of the 64-21 Bok victory last Saturday.
The TMO bunker review upgraded it to a red, and now the burly centre has been suspended for four matches, which will be reduced by one for completing the ‘tackle school’ programme.
For most observers, it is difficult to see head-to-head contact, even after many views, and I feel that Esterhuizen has been dealt with severely because the outcome of the tackle was violent.
It was sickening to see Jose Lima’s head thud into the bone-hard pitch because of the whiplash, knocking him unconscious.
At half-time, SuperSport analyst Victor Matfield said he had felt the yellow was harsh and the red way too severe.
After the game, Esterhuizen’s former Harlequins teammate Joe Marler tweeted that the decision was “ridiculous”.
However, a disciplinary committee chaired by England’s Matthew Weaver, with Wales’ Jamie Corsi and Romania’s Valeriu Toma, has ruled that the offence merited a six-match ban.
However, the committee considered mitigating factors, and the suspension was reduced to four matches. This ban could be further reduced to three matches if Esterhuizen completes the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme.
Esterhuizen has 48 hours to appeal against the decision, but it has been reported that he accepted the foul play charge.
That suggests to me that he has cut his losses, and has settled for an outcome that will get him back on the field sooner rather than later.
Springboks are down to 14 men as Andre Esterhuizen's yellow card is upgraded to a red card, after this tackle 👇
📺 Stream #RSAvPOR live: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/oqX9ZO6c2k
The problem I have with World Rugby throwing the book at Esterhuizen is that it is completely at odds with some of the unpunished head-high tackles we saw in the United Rugby Championship.
In a game between the Bulls and Leinster in late March, scrumhalf Luke McGrath slammed into Kurt-Lee Arendse as he was about to score in the corner.
The Bulls wing’s head was snapped sideways by McGrath’s head, and it said everything about the toughness of Arendse that he got up and continued playing.
It could have ended far worse, and McGrath’s yellow card was hopelessly insufficient.
How can one World Rugby committee see no reason to suspend McGrath for his offence, and another committee bans Esterhuizen for four matches?
The bottom line is that Esterhuizen has been excluded from the Springbok squad for the start of the Rugby Championship, and if there is a positive to this, it is that his teammates have had another reminder about the importance of the level with which they approach the ball carrier.
And if coach Rassie Erasmus and Esterhuizen can see something light-hearted in the affair, it would be that Erasmus once sarcastically coached the midfielder how to tackle high.
That was in November 2018, after England captain Owen Farrell had got away with hitting the Bok centre high and without his arms.
The referee, Angus Gardner, froze and did not punish Farrell. Never mind cards, there wasn’t even a penalty, and it cost the Boks the match.
On the Monday, Erasmus had himself filmed showing Esterhuizen how to hit a tackle bag high.
As matters stand, Esterhuizen is unavailable for the Sharks’ Currie Cup matches against the Lions (July 27), Pumas (August 3), Griquas (August 11) and Cheetahs (August 17).