The Springboks head into a crucial week on tour with mounting disappointment as another disciplinary hearing awaits one of their senior players.
Lock Franco Mostert, sent off against Italy on Saturday, is scheduled to face his judicial process in the coming days, adding to a run of setbacks that has disrupted the team’s tour ahead of their clash with Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
Mostert’s case follows the dismissal of Lood de Jager the previous weekend against France. The Boks have indicated that they will file another appeal for De Jager’s suspension this week. Others unavailable due to disciplinary decisions include Makazole Mapimpi, serving a five-match ban, and Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who received a nine-game suspension.
“As a team, we are just disappointed with how things are flowing at the moment,” Stick said. “We are losing players every week. Everyone was looking forward to the Italy game and the spirit was good, but the way it unfolded was disappointing.”
Stick said both Mostert and De Jager attempted legal tackles but made contact that was ultimately judged to be high.
“If you look at Franco’s actions, and those of Lood the previous week, they did everything by the book,” he said. “It’s a physical game, and sometimes things are not perfect, but for the tackles to be ruled as never legal is disappointing.”
Stick also referenced incidents in other international matches over the weekend, noting that similar or more severe actions did not result in the same level of sanction.
Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus will name his side for the clash with Ireland on Thursday, with Mostert’s availability dependent on the outcome of his impending hearing.
