Springbok Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact

South Africa prop Wessels faces a suspension of nine matches for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.

This event occurred in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by striking the South African on the head area.

After the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the event was checked by the TMO, who determined no definitive proof.

The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.

While the United Rugby Championship confirmed that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached law 9.27, which declares:

"A player must not engage in actions that is against the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers touching, pulling or squeezing the genitals."

Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the contact reached the level for dismissal and justified a three-month ban, the minimum ban under World Rugby rules 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.

Wessels and the Bulls have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team.

He will also miss the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Northampton.

Wessels has won 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion squad over the summer.

Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.