Springbok Forward Wessels Given Nine-Match Ban for Genital Grab
The player will miss for South Africa's fall fixtures.
Springbok front-rower Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' URC win over Connacht.
This event occurred in the early stages of the close contest against Connacht on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by hitting Wessels on the head area.
Following Murphy reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was examined by the TMO, who determined insufficient clear footage.
The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the second half of the match.
Although the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was deemed to have violated the code of conduct, which states:
"A player should not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, pulling or compressing the private areas."
Disciplinary officials concluded that the contact reached the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under international rugby regulations for such an infringement.
Nonetheless, the player's ban was shortened by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his good record.
The forward and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and Ireland.
He will additionally be absent for the his club's league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bordeaux and Saints.
Wessels has earned 10 caps for the Springboks and was included in their tri-nations champion team during the recent tournament.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is available to face Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
