The Kings will go into a crucial three-week period without Pieter Scholtz after the tighthead prop was handed a three-match ban for eye-gouging.

Scholtz was cited after the Kings’ 38-0 loss to Edinburgh at Murrayfield last Saturday, which left the side bottom of Conference B.

The 24-year-old was reported by the citing commissioner for alleged infringement of Law 9.12 – ‘A player must not physically abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes but is not limited to, contact with eye area’.

The disciplinary committee deemed that the offence merited a red card with a low-range entry point of four weeks, reduced to three weeks by mitigating factors.

Scholtz will be unavailable for the two derby matches against the Cheetahs and the reverse fixture against Edinburgh in Port Elizabeth.

Photo: Deryck Foster/BackpagePix