'It didn't look good' - Springboks coach on Eben Etzebeth dismissal

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South Africa manager the national team coach acknowledged "the optics weren't great" in the wake of experienced second-row the towering player received a red card due to eye contact versus the Welsh team

South Africa's national team secured an autumn clean sweep with a dominant performance in Cardiff to score eleven touchdowns resulting in a 73-nil victory

However nearly the last action of the annual campaign was Etzebeth, who crossed the last try getting sent off from the official the presiding official

The 34-year-old received a red card for making contact the eye area of the Welsh player Alex Mann using his thumb in a match-ending incident

"It's difficult to say how to respond that won't be controversial. The appearance was poor therefore it became a legitimate dismissal," said Erasmus

"How it happened and the reasons behind it, whether there was provocation, I cannot confirm, but it's definitely not how we had hoped to end the game. In my view that the optics were great"

Etzebeth, who extended his Springboks record when winning cap number 141 in Wales, appears likely to receive a lengthy ban

His Sharks team begin their Champions Cup campaign at Toulouse early December followed by a home fixture facing the London side including domestic clashes during the holidays

The top-ranked team dominated the Welsh in a fixture that became unbalanced from the off

The current management's period has begun with multiple significant losses to South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina alongside a late triumph facing the Brave Blossoms

Wales have lost multiple defeats in recent games yet Erasmus tried to give reassurance

"In my opinion our team has been developing and improving, this represented a measured showing," he said

"Wales are not players that just roll over accept defeat, they fight until the end. This represented an exceptionally precise display with our team displaying maximum commitment"

"The team includes a quality leader and will come back. We recognize fortunes can reverse and in 1998 we overcame them (96-13) subsequently fell the following year"

The Springboks finish the year as the number one side following victories in successive tournament wins

The world champions have displayed their impressive resources and prowess but the coach referenced when they were ranked sixth

"We experienced similar circumstances with fans destroying merchandise, yet Welsh supporters remain," he said

"There is the support and the team demonstrates determination. Get one or two wins, create a streak and results will transform

"I know that things changed starting from a low base in 2016, to 2019 when we won the World Cup. Anything is possible"

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• Wales national team
• National organization
• Rugby Union