South African Forward Wessels Given Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab
The player will miss for the Springboks' upcoming test matches.
Springbok front-rower Wessels has been suspended of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' URC win over Connacht.
The altercation took place in the 18th minute of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting the South African on the head.
After the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the event was reviewed by the television match official, who concluded insufficient clear footage.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was substituted in the second half of the match.
Although the URC announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have violated law 9.27, which specifies:
"Any athlete must not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the genitals."
Disciplinary officials concluded that the event reached the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under international rugby rules for such an violation.
However, the player's suspension was shortened by three weeks because of his good conduct prior to and at the hearing and his good record.
The forward and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, the Azzurri and Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.
Wessels has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team over the summer.
Murphy, in contrast, is available to face Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being exonerated.
