South African Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Match Ban for Inappropriate Contact
The player is ruled out for South Africa's upcoming test matches.
Springbok prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC win over the Irish province.
The incident happened in the 18th minute of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by hitting the South African on the head.
After the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the situation was checked by the TMO, who found no definitive proof.
Wessels remained on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.
While the URC announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was overturned by a governing body, Wessels was deemed to have violated law 9.27, which states:
"Any athlete should not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the contact reached the red card threshold and justified a three-month ban, the minimum ban under World Rugby rules for such an offence.
However, Wessels' ban was reduced by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.
He will also miss the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their tri-nations champion squad over the summer.
Murphy, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
