South African Forward Wessels Receives Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels will be unavailable for the Springboks' autumn internationals.
Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC win over the Irish province.
The incident took place in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by striking the South African on the head.
Following the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the event was reviewed by the TMO, who concluded insufficient clear footage.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the match.
Although the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have breached law 9.27, which states:
"Any athlete must not engage in actions that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the incident met the level for dismissal and justified a three-month ban, the minimum suspension under international rugby rules for such an violation.
Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was reduced by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bègles and Northampton.
Wessels has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion team during the recent tournament.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to play against the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
