Springbok Forward Wessels Receives Nine-Match Ban for Inappropriate Contact

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

This event happened in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by striking Wessels on the head.

After Murphy reported the incident to the match official, the situation was checked by the television match official, who found no definitive proof.

Wessels stayed on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.

Although the URC confirmed that Murphy's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have violated the code of conduct, which declares:

"Any athlete should not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, pulling or compressing the private areas."

Disciplinary officials determined that the event reached the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under international rugby regulations for such an violation.

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

The forward and the Bulls are entitled to appeal, but currently, the ban will rule the young player out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team.

Wessels will additionally be absent for the his club's league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bègles and Saints.

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

The Connacht player, in contrast, is available to face Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being exonerated.