South African Player Wessels Handed Nine-Game Ban for Genital Grab
The player will miss for the Springboks' fall fixtures.
South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht.
This event took place in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after striking back by hitting the South African on the head.
Following the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the situation was reviewed by the TMO, who found insufficient clear footage.
Wessels remained on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.
Although the URC confirmed that Murphy's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a governing body, Wessels was found to have violated law 9.27, which specifies:
"Any athlete should not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or squeezing the private areas."
The panel were satisfied that the incident reached the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under World Rugby rules for such an infringement.
However, the player's ban was shortened by 21 days because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
He will also miss the his club's league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints.
The prop has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer.
The Connacht player, meanwhile, is eligible to face Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
