South African Player Wessels Given Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels is ruled out for the Springboks' fall fixtures.
Springbok prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province.
The incident occurred in the early stages of the close contest in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by hitting the South African on the head area.
Following the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was checked by the television match official, who found no definitive proof.
Wessels remained on the pitch until he was substituted in the second half of the match.
While the URC announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was overturned by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have violated the code of conduct, which states:
"A player should not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the genitals."
The panel were satisfied that the event reached the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under World Rugby rules for such an offence.
However, Wessels' ban was reduced by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his good record.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the young player out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
Wessels will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.
The prop has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament.
The Connacht player, meanwhile, is available to play against Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being exonerated.