Springbok Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Game Ban for Genital Grab
The player will be unavailable for the Springboks' autumn internationals.
Springbok prop Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province.
This event took place in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head.
Following the Connacht player complained to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was reviewed by the television match official, who concluded insufficient clear footage.
Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the later stages of the game.
While the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a governing body, Wessels was found to have violated law 9.27, which specifies:
"A player must not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes grabbing, twisting or squeezing the private areas."
The panel determined that the event met the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under international rugby rules for such an infringement.
Nonetheless, the player's suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his good record.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but currently, the ban will prevent the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, Italy and the Irish team.
He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Glasgow, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bordeaux and Northampton.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their tri-nations champion squad over the summer.
Murphy, meanwhile, is available to face the Irish rivals in this weekend's domestic clash after being cleared.
