🔗 Share this article Springbok Player Wessels Handed Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab The player will be unavailable for the Springboks' upcoming test matches. South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht. The incident took place in the 18th minute of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by hitting Wessels on the head. Following the Connacht player complained to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was reviewed by the television match official, who concluded no conclusive video evidence. 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 temporary sending-off was overturned by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have violated law 9.27, which specifies: "A player should not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes touching, twisting or squeezing the private areas." The panel determined that the incident reached the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under World Rugby regulations for such an offence. Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was shortened by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the suspension will rule the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, France, Italy and Ireland. Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Warriors, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bordeaux and Saints. Wessels has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was included in their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament. Murphy, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
The player will be unavailable for the Springboks' upcoming test matches. South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht. The incident took place in the 18th minute of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by hitting Wessels on the head. Following the Connacht player complained to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was reviewed by the television match official, who concluded no conclusive video evidence. 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 temporary sending-off was overturned by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have violated law 9.27, which specifies: "A player should not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes touching, twisting or squeezing the private areas." The panel determined that the incident reached the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under World Rugby regulations for such an offence. Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was shortened by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the suspension will rule the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, France, Italy and Ireland. Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Warriors, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bordeaux and Saints. Wessels has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was included in their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament. Murphy, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.