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Burger gets eight weeks for eye gouging
29th June 2009, 9:00 WST
Flanker Schalk Burger will miss South Africa's first four games of the Tri-Nations series after he was today suspended for eight weeks for eye gouging during the Springboks’ series-clinching 28-25 win over the British and Irish Lions on the weekend.
Burger was charged with eye gouging Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald only 32 seconds into his 50th appearance for the Springboks.
He won't be available for the Boks until the clash with the Wallabies in Brisbane on September 5.
Lock Bakkies Botha was suspended for two weeks for charging dangerously into Lions prop Adam Jones, who left the field early in the second half with a suspected dislocated shoulder.
He will miss next Saturday’s third Test against the Lions, now a dead rubber, but will be available when the Sprinkboks start their Tri-Nations campaign againt the All Blacks in Bloemfontein on July 25.
South Africa Rugby announced the bans on Monday after both players attended disciplinary hearings by judicial officer Alan Hudson of Canada.
JOHANNESBURG
AP