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Celebrated Rugby World Cup participant Makazole Mapimpi has been sidelined for a duration of five contests due to the 20-minute ejection he experienced during the Sharks’ 34-26 setback against Ulster in Durban the previous weekend.
Following his successful try, the winger accompanied a fellow player, Vincent Koch, into the penalty area, also for a similar offense committed against Michael Lowry, around the 55-minute mark of the competition.
Throughout their analysis, the disciplinary board deliberated over Mapimpi’s unfavorable disciplinary history, emphasizing his prior ejections in 2023 and 2025.
Consequently, the penalty was reduced by only one game from the original low-end, six-game initial starting point for violating Law 9.18 – specifying that a player is prohibited from lifting an opponent from the playing field and dropping or propelling the player leading to the head and/or upper body making contact with the ground.
In the participant’s responses to the judicial officer overseeing the disciplinary protocol, the player recognized having committed a foul, which called for an ejection, resulting in the one-week moderation.
Recently, Mapimpi was named on the 10-person standby list intended for the Springboks’ November journey. Given his unavailability for the initial four games against Japan, France, Italy, and Ireland, head coach Rassie Erasmus could consider including another player in the outside back position.
If Erasmus makes the choice to remove the 35-year-old entirely from the roster – considering that he is only eligible for the game against Wales in Cardiff on November 20 – it could signal the conclusion of his Springbok time.
If that is the case, it would mark a profoundly disappointing way for Mapimpi to conclude his tenure in the Test domain.
Competitions Makazole Mapimpi will be absent from:
Hollywoodbets Sharks versus Scarlets, scheduled for October 25, 2025, in the BKT URC
South Africa versus Japan, on November 1, 2025, for the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour
France versus South Africa, on November 8, 2025, within the Quilter Nations Series
Italy versus South Africa, on November 15, 2025, during the Quilter Nations Series
Ireland versus South Africa, on November 22, 2025, within the Quilter Nations Series
