Springbok Forward Wessels Receives Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
The player will miss for South Africa's upcoming test matches.
South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' URC win over the Irish province.
The incident happened in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting Wessels on the head area.
Following the Connacht player complained to the match official, the event was reviewed by the television match official, who determined no conclusive video evidence.
The Bulls player remained on the field until he was substituted in the second half of the match.
While the URC announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was deemed to have breached the code of conduct, which specifies:
"Any athlete must not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, pulling or squeezing the private areas."
The panel were satisfied that the incident reached the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum ban under international rugby rules for such an violation.
Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his good record.
The forward and the Bulls have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and Ireland.
Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Glasgow, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.
The prop has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer.
Murphy, in contrast, is available to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
