South African Player Wessels Receives Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
The player will be unavailable for South Africa's autumn internationals.
Springbok prop Wessels has received a ban of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province.
The incident happened in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head.
Following the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the situation was reviewed by the TMO, who determined no conclusive video evidence.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the match.
Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that Murphy's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached the code of conduct, which specifies:
"A player must not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or squeezing the genitals."
The panel were satisfied that the contact reached the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under World Rugby rules for such an violation.
Nonetheless, the player's suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his good record.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, Italy and Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the Bulls' league matches against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Northampton.
Wessels has earned 10 caps for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion squad over the summer.
Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to play against the Irish rivals in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.