Springbok Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels will miss for the Springboks' upcoming test matches.
South Africa prop Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for touching opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' URC win over Connacht.
The altercation took place in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head area.
Following Murphy complained to the match official, the event was examined by the TMO, who found insufficient clear footage.
The Bulls player stayed on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.
While the United Rugby Championship confirmed that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was rescinded by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have breached the code of conduct, which declares: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 against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, pulling or compressing the genitals."
The panel were satisfied that the incident reached the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest suspension under international rugby rules for such an offence.
However, the player's ban was shortened 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 appeal, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
He will also miss the his club's URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bègles and Northampton.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's domestic clash after being exonerated.
