Springbok Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab
Wessels will miss for South Africa's autumn internationals.
South Africa prop Wessels has received a ban of nine games for grabbing Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over the Irish province.
The altercation took place in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head.
Following Murphy reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was checked by the TMO, who concluded no conclusive video evidence.
Wessels remained on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.
Although the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was overturned by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have breached law 9.27, which specifies:
"A player should not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers grabbing, twisting or compressing the genitals."
Disciplinary officials determined that the incident met the red card threshold and justified a three-month ban, the minimum ban under World Rugby regulations for such an infringement.
However, the player's suspension was reduced by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.
He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Glasgow, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to face the Irish rivals in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
