Dec 4 (Reuters) - South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth has received a 12-match suspension for his eye gouge on Wales flanker Alex Mann, ruling him out until April, but maintained his actions were not intentional.

Etzebeth, the most capped Springbok player of all time, received a permanent red card in his side’s 73-0 thumping of Wales in Cardiff last Saturday, with condemnation coming from all quarters and his own coach Rassie Erasmus admitting "it did not look good".