Springbok Player Wessels Handed Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab
The player will be unavailable for South Africa's autumn internationals.
Springbok prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.
The altercation happened in the 18th minute of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by striking Wessels on the head.
Following Murphy complained to the match official, the contact was examined by the television match official, who concluded no conclusive video evidence.
The Bulls player stayed on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the match.
While the URC announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was overturned by a governing body, the Springbok was found to have breached law 9.27, which declares:
"A player must not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers grabbing, twisting or squeezing the private areas."
The panel were satisfied that the incident met the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum ban under international rugby regulations for such an violation.
However, the player's suspension was reduced by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior during the proceedings and his good record.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.
He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints.
Wessels has won 10 caps for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team over the summer.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to play against Munster in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
