2025 EOYT Matches (Non-ANZ)

[Dan54]

He pretty clearly tries to get it done 2 or 3 times before finally connecting.

What? The judiciary say his fingers were in the area of eyes for 1 second, Hell he must have quick fingers.

 

[Wilson]

What? The judiciary say his fingers were in the area of eyes for 1 second, Hell he must have quick fingers.

If you read the report you'd see they note that Eben attempts to reach for Mann's face and has his hand deflected away immediately before going again and this time hitting his mark:

They were face-to-face, holding each other roughly at arm’s length. The Player then reached over W7’s left
arm with his right arm looking directly at W7’s. We are satisfied he was aiming for his face – that is where his
arm was travelling until it was deflected (by W7’s left arm) onto W’s left shoulder. It then travelled from his
shoulder and the side of W7’s head and face (CCLO 06.35-06.38). We are satisfied that there was nothing
extraneous to the Player caused that movement – for example the movement of another player. The only
possible candidate is W7’s left arm and we are satisfied that it would not and did not move the Player’s right
hand onto W7’s face.

With his right palm, against the side of W7’s head and his fingers reaching around the side and back W7’s
head, and his right thumb moves and bends at the interphalangeal joint (nearest the tip) into W7’s left eye
(CCLO, 07.47-07.49). His thumb is pressed against the closed eye, driving W7’s head back. He was looking
directly at W7’s face before and when he did so. There was no obstruction to his line of sight. He cannot
have failed to have appreciated what he was doing before and when his thumb went into and remained
pressed in W7’s eye.

They also note that after the initial contact is broken by Mann and another South African player dragging him away, Etzebeth goes again, attempting to continue gouging:

The combination of the Player pushing W7’s head, W7 pulling and being pulled (by SA20) away caused the
thumb to slide from the eye along the left side of W7’s face and head. The Player continued pushing down,
still grimacing as W7 bent 90 degrees at the waist turning away from the Player. We are satisfied that the
Player knew what he was doing. It was intentional targeting of the face and eye.

Still he did not desist. Both W11 and W23 tried to force the Player away. He then pulled his left hand round
from the back of the W7 neck and head and pushed his right hand into and across the lower part of W7’s
face (CCLO, 08.00-08.05). Thereafter the Player appears to have pushed his left hand into W7’s face (CCLO,
09.07). All the time he is staring at W7. Eventually they are pulled apart.

And it is listed pretty succinctly as one of the reasons for the entry point they chose:

It was part of a sustained engagement with W7 during which the Player’s hand/s repeatedly went
into his face.

 

[Dan54]

Yep, but as I say, it's time to let it go, is what I mean. Seems pretty fair judgement etc.

 

[Wilson]

Yep, but as I say, it's time to let it go, is what I mean. Seems pretty fair judgement etc.

???? You brought it up after the fact and now you're trying to tell me to let it go for simply stating the facts you asked me to clarify? What in the actual fuck are you smoking Dan?