Springbok Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels will be unavailable for South Africa's upcoming test matches.
Springbok prop Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.
This event happened in the early stages of the close contest in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head.
After the Connacht player complained to the match official, the event was checked by the TMO, who concluded no definitive proof.
The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the second half of the game.
Although the URC announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which declares:
"A player must not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, pulling or squeezing the private areas."
The panel were satisfied that the contact met the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an infringement.
Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but currently, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bègles and Northampton.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament.
Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's domestic clash after being exonerated.
