Springbok Player Wessels Handed Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact

Springbok prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for touching Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' URC win over Connacht.

The incident occurred in the 18th minute of the close contest in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting the South African on the head area.

After the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the event was examined by the television match official, who concluded no conclusive video evidence.

Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the second half of the game.

Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was rescinded by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which declares:

"Any athlete should not engage in actions that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or compressing the genitals."

Disciplinary officials concluded that the incident met the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under international rugby regulations for such an infringement.

Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.

Wessels and the Bulls have the right to appeal, but currently, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against Japan, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team.

He will also miss the his club's URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bordeaux and Northampton.

Wessels has won 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion squad over the summer.

Murphy, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being exonerated.