Springbok Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Match Suspension for Genital Grab
The player is ruled out for South Africa's autumn internationals.
Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for grabbing opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht.
The incident took place in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by striking Wessels on the head area.
After Murphy complained to the match official, the contact was checked by the TMO, who determined no conclusive video evidence.
Wessels remained on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the match.
While the United Rugby Championship confirmed that Murphy's temporary sending-off was rescinded by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have violated law 9.27, which states:
"A player should not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes touching, pulling or compressing the private areas."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the incident met the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under World Rugby rules for such an infringement.
However, the player's ban was reduced by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will rule the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
Wessels will additionally be absent for the his club's league matches against Warriors, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bordeaux and Northampton.
Wessels has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament.
The Connacht player, meanwhile, is available to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
