UPDATED: Schalk Brits’ suspension news has been added to this story…

The Sharks versus Bulls encounter from the weekend wasn’t exactly an open, flowing spectacle, but the punch-up between opposing hookers Akker van der Merwe and Schalk Brits was quite a throwback to days of old.

In the 57th minute, the two came to blows after van der Merwe’s enthusiastic clean-out at the ruck, and opinion has been divided on whether it was right for New Zealand referee Mike Fraser to give both players their marching orders.

You can see the punch-up from the 3:10 mark below:

You really don’t see too many proper swinging punches these days.

In the SuperSport studio, Nick Mallett was on hand to give his opinion. Below from Sport24:

 “With regard to the two red cards, there was a little head butt that caused Schalk Brits to react. He was taken out by Akker who then continued to push.

“In reaction, Schalk threw a left which hit Akker’s cheek and Akker responded again by hitting him while he was on his back on the ground. It’s very simple in rugby that if you land any blow to the head of an opponent then it’s a red card. So both red cards were fair.”

…”I thought the ref had a very good game today, by the way. And it’s great to have a neutral ref in such a tight derby because no one can say he supports one team or the other. It was a good decision to red card both hookers and he worked well with his assistants to come to that conclusion. So there can be no complaints there at all.”

After the match, Brits shared a picture of him and Akker cracking a cold one on Instagram:

The caption read: “Tough game out there tonight! That amazing game that we play and we can laugh and have a beer afterwards. #enjoyyourweekend”

Despite the good vibes post-match, the pair still faced an appearance before a Sanzaar judicial committee earlier today.

Akker may have got off quite lightly, with Sport24 again reporting below:

The SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee has accepted a guilty plea from Sharks hooker Akker van der Merwe for contravening Law 9.12: A player must not physically abuse anyone, after he was red carded against the Bulls in Durban on Saturday.

Van der Merwe has been suspended from all forms of the game for 3 weeks, up to and including April 19, 2019.

It’s not yet known what sanctions Brits will face, although he does have a bit of a history of throwing punches.

In 2013, Brits was suspended for three weeks for punching fly-half Owen Farrell in the British & Irish Lions’ match against the Barbarians.

Nice to see Owen Farrell using his arms, even if it was to hold on to an opposition player’s jersey:

Then, in 2016, Brits received a red card and three-week suspension whilst playing for Saracens for punching Gloucester hooker Nick Wood:

I imagine Rassie Erasmus will be having a quiet word with both, should they find themselves in his Springbok squad plans for the World Cup later this year.

UPDATED: Looks like that history has come back to haunt Brits, because he’s ended up with a longer suspension than Akker. Below from Sport24:

In a scarcely believable sequence of events, Bulls hooker Schalk Brits has been given a FOUR-week ban following his red card against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.

While both players were caught on camera throwing punches, Van der Merwe was clearly the instigator with a head-butt, followed by a series of punches landed to Brits’ head…

According to reports, Blue Bulls Rugby Union President Willem Strauss was incensed at the sanction, sending a broadcast message on a WhatsApp group which read: “Schalk 4 weeks, Akker 3 weeks – absolutely ridiculous.”

…The Bulls were understandably quick to appeal the decision and that hearing will take place on Tuesday at 07:00 SA time in front of a new three-person judicial committee of Helen Morgan (chairperson), David Croft and former Springbok prop, Lawrence Sephaka.

Seems like a really, really odd call from SANZAAR.

FURTHER UPDATEd: Brits’ appeal has failed, and he has been banned for four matches. Had he accepted the four-week ban, he would have only missed three matches, as the Bulls have a bye over the Easter weekend.

[sources:sport24&sport24]