🔗 Share this article South African Player Wessels Given Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact Wessels will miss for South Africa's autumn internationals. Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine matches for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht. This event happened in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting 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 found no definitive proof. The Bulls player remained 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 overturned by a governing body, Wessels was found to have violated law 9.27, which declares: "Any athlete should not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or compressing the genitals." Disciplinary officials determined that the event met the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under World Rugby rules for such an infringement. However, the player's suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history. The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland. Wessels will also miss the his club's league matches against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton. Wessels has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion team over the summer. The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to play against Munster in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
Wessels will miss for South Africa's autumn internationals. Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine matches for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht. This event happened in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting 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 found no definitive proof. The Bulls player remained 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 overturned by a governing body, Wessels was found to have violated law 9.27, which declares: "Any athlete should not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or compressing the genitals." Disciplinary officials determined that the event met the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under World Rugby rules for such an infringement. However, the player's suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history. The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland. Wessels will also miss the his club's league matches against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton. Wessels has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion team over the summer. The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to play against Munster in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.