South African Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab
The player will miss for South Africa's fall fixtures.
Springbok prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' URC victory over the Irish province.
The incident took place in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after striking back by striking Wessels on the head area.
After Murphy complained to the match official, the event was reviewed by the TMO, who concluded no conclusive video evidence.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was substituted in the second half of the game.
While the URC confirmed that Murphy's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was deemed to have breached the code of conduct, which specifies:
"A player should not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the genitals."
The panel were satisfied that the contact met the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under World Rugby rules for such an infringement.
However, Wessels' ban was reduced by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the hearing and his good record.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
He will additionally be absent for the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bègles and Northampton.
Wessels has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament.
Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to face Munster in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
