Springbok Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels will miss for South Africa's autumn internationals.
South Africa front-rower Wessels has received a ban of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province.
The altercation occurred in the 18th minute of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head area.
After Murphy complained to the match official, the event was checked by the television match official, who concluded insufficient clear footage.
The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the second half of the game.
While the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was overturned by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have violated the code of conduct, which states:
"A player must not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, twisting or squeezing the genitals."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the incident reached the level for dismissal and justified a three-month ban, the minimum suspension under international rugby regulations for such an offence.
However, Wessels' ban was reduced by 21 days because of his good conduct during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, Italy and the Irish team.
He will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bordeaux and Saints.
Wessels has won 10 caps for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament.
Murphy, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
