South African Player Wessels Given Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
The player is ruled out for South Africa's autumn internationals.
South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht.
The incident happened in the 18th minute of the close contest against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting Wessels on the head area.
After Murphy complained to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was examined by the television match official, who determined insufficient clear footage.
The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the later stages of the game.
While the United Rugby Championship confirmed that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which declares:
"Any athlete should not engage in actions that is against the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers touching, twisting or squeezing the private areas."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the contact met the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under international rugby rules for such an violation.
However, the player's ban was reduced by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his good record.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will prevent the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and the Irish team.
He will additionally be absent for the his club's league matches against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Northampton.
The prop has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion squad over the summer.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to face the Irish rivals in this weekend's domestic clash after being exonerated.
