South Africa centre Andre Esterhuizen has been banned for four matches after being red-carded in a Test against Portugal last weekend, World Rugby announced on Wednesday.
He was initially shown a yellow card by Scottish referee Hollie Davidson after a head-on-head tackle on Jose Lima in Bloemfontein.
The punishment was upgraded to a red card after off-field officials reviewed the third-minute incident.
World Rugby said the ban would be reduced to three matches if Esterhuizen, who recently moved from London club Harlequins to the Sharks in Durban, attends a coaching intervention programme.
The programme was launched three years ago and is designed to reduce head contact by incentivising players to practice tackle techniques that carry a statistically lower injury risk.
Esterhuizen will miss the Sharks’ Currie Cup matches against the Lions, Pumas and Griquas, and possibly the Cheetahs.
He was excluded from the South Africa Rugby Championship squad to tour Australia next month, but will be available for the next home fixture, against New Zealand on August 31 in Johannesburg.
Esterhuizen was part of the Springboks’ 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning squad, understudying first choice centres Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende, and has made 20 Test appearances.
South Africa won the Test 64-21 in spite of Esterhuizen’s early dismissal and further yellow cards for wing Kurt-Lee Arendse and debutant replacement full-back Quan Horn.
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