South African Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Match Ban for Genital Grab
Wessels is ruled out for the Springboks' autumn internationals.
South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for touching Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.
The incident took place in the 18th minute of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after striking back by striking the South African on the head area.
After the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the situation was reviewed by the TMO, who found no definitive proof.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was replaced in the second half of the match.
While the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached the code of conduct, which states:
"Any athlete must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or compressing the genitals."
The panel concluded that the contact reached the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under international rugby regulations for such an infringement.
However, the player's suspension was shortened by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Bulls have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
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 Bègles and Northampton.
The prop has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament.
Murphy, meanwhile, is available to play against Munster in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.
