Springbok Player Wessels Handed Nine-Match Ban for Inappropriate Contact

Springbok front-rower Wessels has received a ban of nine games for grabbing opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province.

This event occurred in the 18th minute of the close contest in Galway on Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by hitting Wessels on the head.

Following Murphy complained to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was reviewed by the TMO, who found no definitive proof.

Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the later stages of the match.

While the URC announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was overturned by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which declares:

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

Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the contact met the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under World Rugby rules for such an offence.

Nonetheless, the player's suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.

Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but currently, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.

Wessels will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.

Wessels has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament.

The Connacht player, meanwhile, is eligible to face the Irish rivals in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.