South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels will miss for South Africa's autumn internationals.
South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht.
The altercation took place in the 18th minute of the Bulls' 28-27 win against Connacht on Friday, with opposing player Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head area.
After the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the event was reviewed by the television match official, who concluded insufficient clear footage.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the match.
While the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached the code of conduct, which declares:
"Any athlete must not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers touching, pulling or squeezing the genitals."
The panel concluded that the event met the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the minimum ban under World Rugby rules for such an offence.
However, the player's ban was shortened by three weeks because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bègles and Saints.
The prop has won 10 caps for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion team over the summer.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to play against the Irish rivals in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
