South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact

Springbok prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' URC victory over Connacht.

The incident happened in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after striking back by hitting the South African on the head area.

After the Connacht player complained to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was examined by the television match official, who found no definitive proof.

The Bulls player stayed on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the match.

Although the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have breached law 9.27, which declares:

"A player should not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the genitals."

Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the incident reached the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the minimum ban under international rugby rules for such an infringement.

However, the player's ban was shortened by three weeks because of his good conduct during the hearing and his good record.

The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, France, the Azzurri and Ireland.

He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints.

The prop has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion team over the summer.

Murphy, in contrast, is available to play against Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being cleared.