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Eben Etzebeth

mdaclarke

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Do you think the story about him has legs? I watched the video and read the report from the bar owner, it appears to me that Eben will be OK.
 
I hate these kinds of reports. It's usually nothing to do with the player, but because he was present, he's directly involved somehow. I read the article about what the bar owner said happened, and it seems like Eben wasn't even outside when the altercation took place.

It'll blow over. But even if it doesn't, Even if there is the slightest of chances that Eben might be involved, nothing much will happen before he goes off to Japan.


**UPDATE**

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/etzebeth-police-say-im-fine-20190827

Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth says police assured him he will not be implicated in an assault case following an altercation outside a popular Langebaan watering hole over the weekend.

The burly lock was included in South Africa's Rugby World Cup squad on Monday and told Netwerk24 that he had spoken to police regarding the incident.

"They said everything is fine. Now I can just focus on the World Cup," Etzebeth said.
 
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Nah, probably just a 'Cape Crusader' trying to start trouble. Video footage shows nothing

That was my first thought as well.

Ironically though, same (well, sort of) thing happened to some Crusaders player earlier in the year in Cape Twon. People are just sooo keen to take offense and get their 15 minutes, maybe some pocket money from 'Huisgenoot' or some other rag.
 
The Boks are on a plane to Japan today. So, this might be moot by now.
 
The Boks are on a plane to Japan today. So, this might be moot by now.

Are they going via Dubai, Singapore or transiting through Europe somewhere? Don't think there are any direct flights from SA to Japan - way to far.
Be interested if anybody knows more details.
 
https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/twist-in-etzebeth-case/

The HRC is involved. As a non South African what does this mean? it's not a police force, so what can they do? Is it bad for Eben?

Not a complete expert on this, that I believe would be @TRF_heineken given his law background, but I've seen them fine people and I think been involved in taking one person to court (Penny Sparrow). But in that case I think there was already a criminal investigation happening. Essentially I don't think much can come from it unless the police have a criminal investigation into him.
 
Not a complete expert on this, that I believe would be @TRF_heineken given his law background, but I've seen them fine people and I think been involved in taking one person to court (Penny Sparrow). But in that case I think there was already a criminal investigation happening. Essentially I don't think much can come from it unless the police have a criminal investigation into him.

The HRC is a council investigating matters such as hate speech or crimes against humanity. But there wasn't an investigation. A complaint was lodged with them by the "victim". And Eben and his Lawyer went to the HRC to probably give them a statement with his version of what happened. Now the HRC should decide whether or not it's necessary to take the matter further.

As for Eben maybe not being able to go to Japan. There wasn't an arrest out for him. The police even told him that he's fine and that he can go. So based on that neither the police nor the prosecutor handling the case sees Eben as 1. a Flight Risk, and 2. an accused.

If there was a subpoena issued for him, he'd had to hand in his passport, and wouldn't have been allowed to leave the country. And that is why Eben did the right thing in going freely and voluntarily to the police to co-operate.
 
I'm guessing they will fly directly to either Hong Kong or Singapore and then from there transition to Tokyo.

The cheaper alternative is through either Doha or Dubai but I'm thinking that Rassie would have secured the extra funds to to it directly.
 
https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/...ngebaan-assault-docket-ready-for-npa-20190902

Lock is the one position where the Boks are very strong. Mostert, RG Snyman and Lood are very good players. Who would come in as the 4th lock if Eben had to go back home? Elstadt, Botha, Orie or someone else.

article reads:-

"A docket containing statements regarding two counts of assault against Springbok forward Eben Etzebeth has been handed to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Rapport reported on Sunday.

The docket was reportedly initially sent back for further investigation, but this has been completed and the NPA will on Monday proceed to decide whether Etzebeth should be prosecuted.

This follows allegations that Etzebeth and a large group of friends had reportedly used a racially loaded word against someone in a pub in Langebaan last weekend.

Etzebeth was reportedly harassed by a group of people at a nearby table who taunted him, saying he was a "shitty" rugby player.

A scuffle allegedly broke out between the two groups.

Completely untrue

Etzebeth responded to the allegations on his Facebook page by saying: "It is completely untrue and unfounded to claim that I physically or racially abused anyone in Langebaan as has been reported on social media. Multiple witnesses can corroborate that.

"I am and will always strive to be a true ambassador to this beautiful rainbow nation and the sport that I love," he said.

Etzebeth on Friday met with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) following the alleged assault. SAHRC commissioner André Gaum said it first had to consider what emerged from statements and consultations.

Etzebeth has since left for Japan with the rest of the Springbok squad in preparation of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

According to Rapport, SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux told Etzebeth that should the allegations be true, he would have to withdraw from the World Cup squad. And, if it turns out he lied about the events, he would never play for the Springboks again.

Accusations against Etzebeth included a video doing the rounds suggesting the 27-year-old lock had assaulted and pointed a gun at a homeless man in the West Coast town, Sport24 reported.

In addition, Enver Wilsnach, 42, and Shiyaad Smith, 21, have alleged that Etzebeth assaulted them by striking them in the face with a firearm, Rapport reported.

Etzebeth and around "12-15" people arrived at popular Langebaan watering hole Die Watergat at around 23:00 on August 24, pub owner Riaan Reeders told Sport24.

An incident inside the bar then took place at around midnight, which saw one man involved in a scuffle in the upstairs section of the bar with certain members of Etzebeth's party.

That incident, Reeders said, resulted in the man who was removed from the premises opening a police case against members of the group.

Reeders said he had examined the CCTV footage from the incident inside his bar, and that Etzebeth had not been involved in the scuffle.

Etzebeth and his friends then left the pub at around 02:00 on Sunday and were then involved in another incident that took place in the streets.

"At around 02:00, Eben and his friends left, and then there was a group of people at the centre across the road from us," Reeders told Sport24 on Monday morning.

"Something happened there… I'm not sure what happened with the fighting, or whatever, with the Etzebeths. I wasn't there and I can't tell you what happened."

Racial slurs

According to Rapport, Wilsnach and Smith allege that they were approached by Etzebeth who hurled racial slurs at them. A rock or brick was reportedly then thrown at Etzebeth's car, which triggered the alleged assault.

SA Rugby in a statement confirmed that they would co-operate with authorities in the investigation into the incident, but said that Etzebeth would remain a part of the national plans until they were instructed otherwise.

After announcing his squad, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus dismissed the Etzebeth reports as just "a rumour" at this stage.

"I was definitely worried about it when I heard about it, of course," he said.

"If there was any truth in it, it would have been a massive issue for us.

"After speaking to Eben and hearing his side of the story, there is obviously trust between a coach and a player.

"I must trust him to do some stuff on the field for me and win Test matches for us, and he must trust me to believe him when he tells me something.

"I'm pretty comfortable with what he's told me and obviously you can't just believe what someone else says on social media.

"I'm confident that that's not the truth what was said on social media and if anything like that happens and it is the truth, then somebody like that would not be part of our team and would not go to the World Cup.

"Until something like that gets proven, it's just a rumour in my opinion."

Etzebeth (27) has 78 Test caps to his name and is set to feature in his second Rugby World Cup having also represented the Boks at the 2015 showpiece in England. "
 
Am I just naive for believing in Etzebeth and Dyantyi both? Not to derail the thread but Dyantyi's B-sample has come back positive and he is being charged with a doping offense. I for one just don't trust doping tests or social media.

I hope these 'stories' just serve to pull the squad closer together.
 
Man, News24 is scraping the barrel with this incident.

That's the normal procedure. A case was made at the police, the police investigates and then hands the docket to the NPA. The NPA must then look at the docket, and evidence and decide whether or not to prosecute.

Should they then prosecute, it still doesn't mean Etzebeth is guilty. It just means that Etzebeth will have to appear in court on the charges, file a plea of either guilty or not guilty, and then the hearing.

Even if Etzebeth assaulted them, I can already see that Etzebeth had grounds to act in the manner which he did as it appears that the complainants threw a brick/rock at his car. That means that they damaged his property and he was severely provoked.

The other question is whether Etzebeth will be charged with Assault or Assault to cause grievious bodily harm (GBH). If the NPA only goes for common assault, then the issue of the "weapon" becomes of importance.

But I've read enough to make me think that this is just a fishing expedition to tarnish the boks hopes at the WC. The timing is just off.
 
I actually think Etzebeth will be OK. If there was a "smoking gun" video we'd have seen it by now.
 
I actually think Etzebeth will be OK. If there was a "smoking gun" video we'd have seen it by now.

What bothers me a bit is that the media handling this story, is not doing some digging into the 2 guys being mentioned in the article being victimized.

I wouldn't be surprized if they were Cape Crusaders or guys that has had a prior run in with the law at some point or even have a history of disorderly conduct.

There is more to this than just what is being reported.
 

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