South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact

South Africa front-rower Wessels has been suspended of nine games for grabbing Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' URC victory over the Irish province.

This event happened in the 18th minute of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting Wessels on the head area.

After Murphy complained to the match official, the contact was checked by the television match official, who concluded no definitive proof.

Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the match.

Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that Murphy's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was deemed to have breached the code of conduct, which declares:

"A player should not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or squeezing the private areas."

The panel were satisfied that the contact met the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the minimum suspension under international rugby regulations for such an offence.

However, Wessels' suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his good conduct during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.

Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to appeal, but currently, the suspension will prevent the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, Italy and the Irish team.

He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Warriors, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.

Wessels has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team over the summer.

The Connacht player, in contrast, is available to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.