South African Player Wessels Handed Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
The player will miss for South Africa's fall fixtures.
South Africa front-rower Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province.
The incident happened in the early stages of the close contest in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by hitting the South African on the head area.
Following the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the event was examined by the TMO, who found insufficient clear footage.
Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the later stages of the game.
Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was overturned by a governing body, Wessels was deemed to have violated law 9.27, which declares:
"Any athlete must not engage in actions that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or squeezing the genitals."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the incident met the red card threshold and justified a three-month ban, the shortest suspension under international rugby rules for such an infringement.
Nonetheless, the player's suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Bulls are entitled to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the Bulls' league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bègles and Northampton.
The prop has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer.
Murphy, in contrast, is available to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
