South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Match Ban for Genital Grab
Wessels will be unavailable for South Africa's autumn internationals.
South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province.
This event took place in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after striking back by striking the South African on the head area.
After Murphy reported the incident to the match official, the event was reviewed by the TMO, who determined insufficient clear footage.
The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the match.
While the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a governing body, Wessels was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which specifies:
"A player should not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes grabbing, pulling or squeezing the genitals."
The panel concluded that the contact met the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under World Rugby regulations for such an infringement.
Nonetheless, the player's suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his good conduct during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Bulls have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, Italy and Ireland.
Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion team over the summer.
The Connacht player, meanwhile, is available to play against the Irish rivals in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
