Springbok Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Match Ban for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels will miss for the Springboks' autumn internationals.
South Africa prop Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for touching opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' URC win over Connacht.
The incident occurred in the early stages of the close contest in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by hitting the South African on the head.
Following Murphy reported the incident to the match official, the contact was examined by the television match official, who concluded insufficient clear footage.
The Bulls player remained on the field until he was substituted in the second half of the match.
While the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was rescinded by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have breached the code of conduct, which declares:
"Any athlete must not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, pulling or compressing the private areas."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the event met the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest ban under international rugby regulations for such an offence.
Nonetheless, the player's ban was shortened by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Bulls have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and Ireland.
Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.
Wessels has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to face Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
