South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has launched an astonishing defence of banned flanker Schalk Burger.
He was found guilty of “making contact with the face in the eye area” of British and Irish Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald in Saturday’s second Test.
“It is a contact sport and so is dancing. Guys who can’t take it, let’s go to the nearest ballet shop and get some tutus”, De Villiers said.
South Africa will not appeal against Burger’s eight-week ban.

The world champions also saw second row Bakkies Botha handed a two-week ban for dangerous charging.
They have yet to decide whether to appeal against Botha’s ban, and as a result have delayed naming their team for the third Test until Thursday – the same day as the Lions.

Five Lions players were taken to hospital following Saturday’s game, with Welsh duo Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones out of the third Test with a broken cheekbone and a dislocated shoulder respectively.
When he was asked if he thought the sport was becoming more violent De Villiers said: “If we are going to make it soft because we want a safe series and people don’t like it, I can’t do anything about it.”
Television footage showed Burger’s fingers making contact with Fitzgerald’s eye inside the first minute of the game in Pretoria.

Fitzgerald was able to continue after treatment, but Burger escaped with only a yellow card from French referee Christophe Berdos, a decision taken on the advice of New Zealand touch judge Bryce Lawrence, who spotted the offence.
“I have watched the television footage, and am still convinced that nothing he did was on purpose,” said De Villiers. “He is an honourable man – he never meant to go to anyone’s eye.”

The International Rugby Board (IRB) says it is looking into the issue of eye-gouging after the incident involving Burger and another involving Italy captain Sergio Parisse, who was also banned for eight weeks for a similar offence during Saturday’s 27-6 defeat by New Zealand in Christchurch.
The IRB is awaiting the report from South Africa via their judicial officer Alan Hudson.
“The IRB does not condone any violent behaviour and there is no place for illegal play in our game,” said an IRB spokesman.

According to the IRB regulations, the recommended minimum sanction for “contact with the eye or eye area” is 12 weeks.
Meanwhile, former England hooker Brian Moore wants gouging bans to be increased.
“It’s been a publicised issue, bans have been handed out but people aren’t stopping doing it and if the bans aren’t working they have got to be longer,” Moore told the BBC.
“Rugby is a contact sport and you have to accept the risks but Burger gouged him, it was as simple as that. It can’t be accidental and there is no place for it in the game.
“I don’t know how Bryce Lawrence, who was the referee in the first Test and had the best view of this incident of anyone in the world, could not understand that there is no other sanction other than a red card for gouging.
“He is an elite referee and to get that wrong is scandalous.”

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