South African Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Match Ban for Inappropriate Contact

Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for touching opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht.

This event happened in the early stages of the close contest in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by hitting the South African on the head.

Following the Connacht player complained to referee Mike Adamson, the event was reviewed by the TMO, who concluded no conclusive video evidence.

Wessels remained on the field until he was substituted in the second half of the match.

While the United Rugby Championship confirmed that Murphy's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which specifies:

"A player should not engage in actions that is against the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or compressing the private areas."

The panel concluded that the incident met the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum ban under international rugby rules for such an infringement.

Nonetheless, the player's ban was shortened by 21 days because of his good conduct during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.

Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the young player out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.

He will additionally be absent for the his club's URC games against Warriors, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bordeaux and Saints.

The prop has won 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament.

Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to face the Irish rivals in this weekend's domestic clash after being cleared.