Springbok Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab
Wessels is ruled out for the Springboks' upcoming test matches.
South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for touching Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.
This event occurred in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by hitting Wessels on the head.
After Murphy reported the incident to the match official, the event was examined by the TMO, who concluded no conclusive video evidence.
The Bulls player remained on the pitch until he was replaced in the second half of the match.
While the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was overturned by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was deemed to have violated the code of conduct, which specifies:
"Any athlete must not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers touching, twisting or compressing the private areas."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the incident reached the red card threshold and justified a three-month ban, the minimum suspension under international rugby rules for such an offence.
However, Wessels' suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will rule the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and the Irish team.
He will also miss the Bulls' league matches against Warriors, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.
The prop has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament.
Murphy, meanwhile, is available to play against Munster in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
