Former Test referee Nigel Owens says rugby’s disciplinary system is “a total mess”.
Owens was reacting to the 12-week ban given to Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth for an eye-gouge on Wales flank Alex Mann in Cardiff.
An independent committee ruled the act intentional and set a mid-range entry point of 18 weeks before reducing the sanction to 12 due to Etzebeth’s clean record since 2012 and early admission of guilt.
“It’s a pretty bad one. Twelve weeks is the minimum he should be getting. He’s lucky he hasn’t got double that or more,” said Owens on Off The Ball podcast.
“Forget what happened before – you have to deal with the actual incident. Putting a thumb in the eye is really, really dangerous.”
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However, Owen said he was also deeply concerned by the lack of uniformity in how punishments are handed down.
“The biggest issue I have is the inconsistencies with the disciplinary process,” he said. “You get players getting two weeks, some getting six, some getting 12.
“A player gets a ban, then because he holds his hand up and says sorry, they knock three weeks off. Then he goes to tackle school, which is something he’s been doing since he was eight years of age, then he gets another week off. It’s a total mess.”
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Owens argued that if rugby is serious about deterrence and player safety, punishments need to be more straightforward and more severe.
“You want a deterrent? If you get six weeks, then you get six weeks. You shouldn’t be landing up with two weeks and all the nonsense that comes with that.”
Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
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