South African flanker Schalk Burger has been banned for eight weeks after being found guilty of gouging British and Irish Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald.
Burger was sin-binned for the offence in the first minute of his 50th Test.
Burger was sin-binned for the offence in the first minute of his 50th Test. Lions coach Ian McGeechan was angered by the indiscretion, saying: “I could never condone actions like that. I would hate to see those again. It should automatically be a red card, as I understand it.”
After a long hearing, Burger was given his further suspension.
He will now miss the final Test against the Lions, as well as three of South Africa’s matches in the Tri-Nations.
South Africa’s coach Peter de Villiers caused an uproar when he claimed that the incident did not even warrant a yellow card.
McGeechan said: “I heard a quote that it might be part of the game. To me, that is never part of the game. I am very disappointed he said that. I can’t see that ever being part of the game. It certainly wouldn’t be part of a game I want to be associated with.”
Ireland centre Brian O'Driscoll was even more vociferous in his disgust for Peter de Villiers’ comments.
"To hear the South African coach talk about gouging as being part of the game was semi-repulsive," said O'Driscoll . "We are trying to promote the game and yet you hear comments like that. I just find it appalling. I truly find it a disgrace. If it's not clamped down, you are going to lose people to the game of rugby and that's essentially the bigger picture."
De Villiers has since been forced to retract his comments, and the matter is being investigated further.
The British media seem to be very critical of South Africa for de Villiers’ comments, but I think de Villiers doesn’t have much support from the Springbok fans either.
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