Springbok Forward Wessels Handed Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact
The player will miss for the Springboks' upcoming test matches.
Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' URC win over the Irish province.
The altercation took place in the 18th minute of the Bulls' 28-27 win in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head area.
Following Murphy reported the incident to the match official, the event was checked by the TMO, who concluded insufficient clear footage.
The Bulls player remained on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the match.
Although the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was overturned by a governing body, Wessels was found to have violated law 9.27, which states:
"A player should not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, pulling or compressing the private areas."
The panel concluded that the contact met the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an offence.
Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to appeal, but currently, the suspension will prevent the young player out of the South African national team's fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
Wessels will additionally be absent for the his club's league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints.
The prop has earned ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer.
The Connacht player, meanwhile, is eligible to face Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
