Springbok Forward Wessels Receives Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels will miss for South Africa's fall fixtures.
Springbok prop Wessels faces a suspension of nine matches for grabbing Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht.
The altercation took place in the 18th minute of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by striking Wessels on the head area.
After the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was examined by the television match official, who found no definitive proof.
Wessels remained on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.
Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that Murphy's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which specifies:
"A player should 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 reached the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum ban under World Rugby regulations for such an violation.
Nonetheless, the player's ban was shortened by 21 days because of his good conduct during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bègles and Northampton.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament.
Murphy, meanwhile, is eligible to face Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being cleared.
