Springbok Forward Wessels Given Nine-Match Ban for Genital Grab
The player will be unavailable for the Springboks' upcoming test matches.
Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province.
The altercation happened in the early stages of the close contest in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by hitting the South African on the head.
After the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the event was reviewed by the TMO, who found insufficient clear footage.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was substituted in the second half of the match.
Although the URC announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a governing body, Wessels was deemed to have violated the code of conduct, which states:
"Any athlete must 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 contact reached the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under World Rugby rules for such an infringement.
Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was shortened by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, France, the Azzurri and Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the his club's league matches against Warriors, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament.
Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to play against the Irish rivals in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
