South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
The player is ruled out for South Africa's upcoming test matches.
Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for touching opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' URC win over Connacht.
The incident happened in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by striking Wessels on the head area.
Following Murphy reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was checked by the television match official, who found insufficient clear footage.
The Bulls player remained on the field until he was replaced in the second half of the game.
Although the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was overturned by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have breached law 9.27, which declares:
"Any athlete should not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers touching, twisting or compressing the private areas."
The panel concluded that the contact met the level for dismissal and justified a three-month ban, the shortest suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an violation.
However, Wessels' suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the young player out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against Japan, France, Italy and Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.
The prop has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer.
Murphy, in contrast, is available to play against the Irish rivals in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.
