🔗 Share this article South African Forward Wessels Receives Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab Wessels is ruled out for the Springboks' upcoming test matches. South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine matches for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht. This event happened in the early stages of the close contest against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by striking the South African on the head area. Following the Connacht player complained to the match official, the contact was checked by the television match official, who concluded no conclusive video evidence. The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the later stages of the match. While the URC announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a governing body, the Springbok was found to have breached law 9.27, which specifies: "Any athlete should not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the private areas." The panel concluded that the incident met the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an violation. Nonetheless, the player's ban was shortened by 21 days because of his good conduct during the hearing and his good record. Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team. Wessels will also miss the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton. Wessels has earned ten international appearances for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament. Murphy, in contrast, is available to play against Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being exonerated.
Wessels is ruled out for the Springboks' upcoming test matches. South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine matches for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht. This event happened in the early stages of the close contest against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by striking the South African on the head area. Following the Connacht player complained to the match official, the contact was checked by the television match official, who concluded no conclusive video evidence. The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the later stages of the match. While the URC announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a governing body, the Springbok was found to have breached law 9.27, which specifies: "Any athlete should not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the private areas." The panel concluded that the incident met the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an violation. Nonetheless, the player's ban was shortened by 21 days because of his good conduct during the hearing and his good record. Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team. Wessels will also miss the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton. Wessels has earned ten international appearances for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament. Murphy, in contrast, is available to play against Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being exonerated.