South African Player Wessels Receives Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels will miss for the Springboks' upcoming test matches.
South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for grabbing Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht.
The incident took place in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by striking the South African on the head.
After Murphy complained to referee Mike Adamson, the event was reviewed by the TMO, who determined insufficient clear footage.
Wessels remained on the pitch until he was substituted in the second half of the game.
While the URC announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which declares:
"A player must not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes grabbing, pulling or compressing the genitals."
Disciplinary officials determined that the event met the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the minimum ban under international rugby rules for such an infringement.
However, the player's ban was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but currently, the suspension will rule the young player 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' league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.
The prop has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning team over the summer.
Murphy, in contrast, is available to play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
