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| Schalk Burger, left, tackles a Lion [AFP] |
South Africa flanker Schalk Burger has been suspended for eight weeks after he was found guilty of eye gouging during the Springboks' series-clinching 28-25 win over the British and Irish Lions at Pretoria.
Burger was charged with making contact with the face in the eye area of Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald only 32 seconds into his 50th appearance for the Springboks.
He was yellow carded by referee Christophe Berdos of France.
Lock Bakkies Botha was suspended for two weeks for charging dangerously into Lions prop Adam Jones, who left the field early in the second half with a suspected dislocated shoulder.
Disciplinary action
South Africa Rugby announced the bans after both players attended disciplinary hearings by judicial officer Alan Hudson of Canada.
Burger will be allowed to return to rugby on August 23, ruling him out of Tri-Nations matches against New Zealand on July 25 and August 1 and Australia on August 8.
South Africa's first match after Burger's ban expires is at Perth, Australia on August 29.
Botha was found guilty of dangerously charging into a ruck without binding on a player in the fourth minute of the second half. He will not be allowed to play until July 12.
TV replays showed Burger's hand apparently making contact with Fitzgerald's eye in a ruck, confirming what touch judge Bryce Lawrence reported to Berdos and making it fortunate for South Africa that he wasn't directly red carded.
South Africa rallied from 19-8 down with 17 minutes to go and the match was locked at 25-all going into the final minute when replacement back Morne Steyn kicked the winning points.
The South Africans have a 2-0 lead going into the last match of the series this weekend.
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