South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Match Suspension for Genital Grab

South Africa prop Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province.

The altercation took place in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by striking the South African on the head.

After the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the contact was reviewed by the TMO, who found no definitive proof.

The Bulls player remained on the pitch until he was replaced in the second half of the game.

Although the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have violated the code of conduct, which declares:

"A player must not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, pulling or squeezing the genitals."

Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the incident met the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest ban under World Rugby rules for such an violation.

Nonetheless, the player's suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.

Wessels and the Bulls have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, the suspension will rule the young player out of the South African national team's fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, 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 European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.

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 play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.