South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
The player will be unavailable for the Springboks' upcoming test matches.
South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht.
The incident happened in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting the South African on the head.
After the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the situation was checked by the TMO, who found no definitive proof.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the match.
Although the URC announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a governing body, the Springbok was found to have breached the code of conduct, which states:
"A player should not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, pulling or squeezing the genitals."
The panel determined that the event reached the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under World Rugby rules for such an infringement.
However, the player's suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and Ireland.
He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bordeaux and Saints.
The prop has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their tri-nations champion team over the summer.
Murphy, meanwhile, is available to play against the Irish rivals in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
