South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab
The player will miss for South Africa's fall fixtures.
South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht.
The incident happened in the 18th minute of the Bulls' 28-27 win in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head.
Following Murphy complained to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was reviewed by the television match official, who concluded insufficient clear footage.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was replaced in the second half of the game.
While the URC announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a governing body, Wessels was found to have breached the code of conduct, which specifies:
"A player should not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, twisting or compressing the genitals."
The panel concluded that the incident met the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under international rugby regulations for such an violation.
Nonetheless, the player's ban was reduced by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, 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 Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.
Wessels has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning team over the summer.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is available to play against the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
