Springbok Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels will miss for South Africa's fall fixtures.
South Africa prop Wessels faces a suspension of nine matches for grabbing Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' URC win over Connacht.
The altercation occurred in the early stages of the close contest in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by striking Wessels on the head area.
After Murphy complained to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was examined by the TMO, who determined no conclusive video evidence.
Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the second half of the match.
Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have violated the code of conduct, which specifies:
"Any athlete must not engage in actions that is against the principles of fair play. This includes touching, pulling or squeezing the private areas."
The panel were satisfied that the event reached the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under international rugby rules for such an violation.
Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was shortened by three weeks because of his good conduct during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Bulls have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
Wessels will also miss the his club's URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bordeaux and Northampton.
Wessels has won 10 caps for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team over the summer.
The Connacht player, meanwhile, is eligible to play against the Irish rivals in Saturday's domestic clash after being exonerated.
