Coetzee gets five-week ban

Lions coach Johan Ackermann has questioned the red-card system after hooker Robbie Coetzee was sent off in Sunday’s match against the Kings.

Coetzee (below) was yesterday banned for five weeks after striking Kings flanker Chris Cloete with his knee to the head in the 32nd minute of the Super Rugby game at Ellis Park won 54-10 by the Lions.

With the June international window to follow, Coetzee will only miss the Lions’ next match on July 1 against the Sunwolves at home.

“I firmly believe there’s enough time after a match to do the whole process, so I think maybe during a game a yellow card is the solution,” said Ackermann,

“Any red card takes the contest away especially at Test match level. Rather let the guy pay the price later when it’s thoroughly reviewed.”

Ackermann said it’s his personal opinion, but he agrees players should be punished when they transgress.

“People come out to watch a contest, so that’s my view on red cards, I don’t like it, but then there are laws that the players must abide to,” he said.

“So what I’m saying is that I don’t think there was any intent, that’s not the kind of person Robbie is, so it’s a lesson everybody can learn to be careful.”

While Cloete also received yellow after tackling Lions skipper Warren Whiteley without the ball, the repeated infringements of the Kings flanker made Coetzee take the law into his own hands.

“Discipline is something we were really quite good at the last few seasons, it’s a pity, it is a contact game and there will always be a reaction,” Ackermann added.

“There were a number of incidents that happened before that as well with the same player.”

The Lions have a bye this coming weekend before the international break.