South African Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab

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

This event occurred 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 striking back by hitting Wessels on the head.

Following the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was examined by the television match official, who determined insufficient clear footage.

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

While the URC confirmed that Murphy's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a governing body, Wessels was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which declares:

"Any athlete must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or compressing the private areas."

The panel concluded that the contact reached the level for dismissal and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an infringement.

Nonetheless, the player's suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.

Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but currently, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.

He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bordeaux and Northampton.

The prop has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament.

The Connacht player, meanwhile, is available to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.