Sethie suspended for three games

Welwitschias prop Desiderius Sethie has received a three-match ban following his dismissal against Uruguay at the Rugby World Cup last week.

Sethie was cited for dangerous play after tackling Bautista Basso with a forearm to the face in the second half of Namibia’s 36-26 loss to the South Americans.

His yellow card was upgraded to red by the foul play review official.

The 30-year-old accepted that foul play had occurred and that the offence warranted a red card, when appearing before an independent disciplinary committee.

Sethie can return after sitting out two matches if he completes World Rugby’s ‘tackle school’, a coaching intervention programme.

“The player intends to apply to take part in the World Rugby coaching intervention programme to substitute the final match of the sanction for a coaching intervention aimed at modifying specific techniques and technical issues that contributed to the foul play subject to successful completion,” World Rugby said in a statement on Monday.

The independent disciplinary committee was chaired by Jennifer Donovan (Ireland), joined by former international player Stefan Terblanche (South Africa) and former international referee Val Toma (Romania).

“The committee noted that the offence carries a mandatory minimum mid-range sanction (six matches), and having considered the mitigating factors, including admission of foul play and correctness of the red card at the first opportunity, an exemplary disciplinary record, apology to the player and good character, reduced the sanction by the maximum mitigation of 50%,” World Rugby said.

“With Namibia having left Rugby World Cup 2023, the sanction of three matches will be applied to the player’s club schedule once it is known.”

After a bright start to the match on Wednesday, Namibia’s discipline deserted them as Uruguay’s pack forced a series of scrum penalties on Namibia’s five-metre line, which meant a yellow card was inevitable.

Prop Johan Coetzee was the first to be binned on 48 minutes, followed by a further yellow card for captain Tjiuee Uanivi, before Sethie joined him on the sidelines soon after.

A composed Uruguay seized control of the encounter to complete the comeback and deny Namibia a first-ever Rugby World Cup win.

Uanivi admitted ill-discipline was his side’s undoing, saying: “Our discipline let us down. To get two yellow cards and then a red makes it very hard. Our discipline at the end of the day cost us.

“We lost the game, but I am very proud of the boys. I know they left it all out there. Apart from the discipline issue, I am super proud of them.”