Springbok Player Wessels Given Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
The player will be unavailable for the Springboks' autumn internationals.
South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province.
The altercation happened in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by hitting Wessels on the head.
Following Murphy complained to the match official, the situation was checked by the TMO, who determined no conclusive video evidence.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the game.
While the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was overturned by a governing body, Wessels was deemed to have breached the code of conduct, which states:
"Any athlete must not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, twisting or squeezing the genitals."
The panel concluded that the contact met the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under international rugby regulations for such an offence.
Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was reduced by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Bulls have the right to appeal, but currently, the suspension will prevent the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the his club's URC games against Warriors, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.
The prop has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament.
Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.