Springbok Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
The player will miss for the Springboks' upcoming test matches.
Springbok front-rower Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province.
This event occurred in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by hitting the South African on the head.
Following the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the contact was checked by the television match official, who found insufficient clear footage.
Wessels remained on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the game.
Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that Murphy's temporary sending-off was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which specifies:
"Any athlete should not engage in actions that is against the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or squeezing the private areas."
Disciplinary officials concluded that the contact met the level for dismissal and justified a three-month ban, the minimum suspension under World Rugby rules for such an violation.
However, Wessels' 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 young player out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, France, the Azzurri and Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bordeaux and Northampton.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning team over the summer.
Murphy, in contrast, is available to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
