🔗 Share this article South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Match Ban for Inappropriate Contact Wessels will miss for the Springboks' upcoming test matches. Springbok prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for grabbing opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht. The incident occurred in the 18th minute of the close contest in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head area. After the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was examined by the TMO, who concluded insufficient clear footage. The Bulls player remained on the field until he was substituted in the second half of the match. While the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have violated law 9.27, which states: "A player should not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes grabbing, pulling or compressing the private areas." The panel were satisfied that the event reached the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an offence. However, the player's ban was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland. He will also miss the his club's league matches against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Northampton. Wessels has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their tri-nations champion squad over the summer. The Connacht player, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
Wessels will miss for the Springboks' upcoming test matches. Springbok prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for grabbing opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht. The incident occurred in the 18th minute of the close contest in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head area. After the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was examined by the TMO, who concluded insufficient clear footage. The Bulls player remained on the field until he was substituted in the second half of the match. While the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have violated law 9.27, which states: "A player should not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes grabbing, pulling or compressing the private areas." The panel were satisfied that the event reached the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an offence. However, the player's ban was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland. He will also miss the his club's league matches against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Northampton. Wessels has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their tri-nations champion squad over the summer. The Connacht player, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.