South African Player Wessels Receives Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab
Wessels will miss for South Africa's autumn internationals.
Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine games for grabbing Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.
The altercation occurred in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head area.
Following the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the event was examined by the television match official, who concluded no conclusive video evidence.
Wessels remained on the pitch until he was replaced in the second half of the match.
Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that Murphy's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a governing body, the Springbok was found to have breached law 9.27, which declares:
"A player should not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, pulling or squeezing the genitals."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the incident met the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under international rugby rules for such an violation.
However, Wessels' suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the young player out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.
He will additionally be absent for the his club's league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bègles and Northampton.
Wessels has won 10 caps for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team over the summer.
The Connacht player, meanwhile, is available to play against Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being cleared.
