🔗 Share this article South African Player Wessels Handed Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact Wessels will miss for the Springboks' autumn internationals. Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for grabbing opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province. This event happened in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after striking back by hitting the South African on the head. Following the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was reviewed by the TMO, who determined no definitive proof. The Bulls player remained on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the match. Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was overturned by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which declares: "A player must not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, pulling or squeezing the genitals." Disciplinary officials determined that the event reached the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under international rugby regulations for such an infringement. Nonetheless, the player's suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will rule the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team. Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bègles and Saints. The prop has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer. Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to face Munster in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.
Wessels will miss for the Springboks' autumn internationals. Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for grabbing opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province. This event happened in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after striking back by hitting the South African on the head. Following the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was reviewed by the TMO, who determined no definitive proof. The Bulls player remained on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the match. Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was overturned by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which declares: "A player must not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, pulling or squeezing the genitals." Disciplinary officials determined that the event reached the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under international rugby regulations for such an infringement. Nonetheless, the player's suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will rule the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team. Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bègles and Saints. The prop has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer. Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to face Munster in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.