Springbok Player Wessels Receives Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact

South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for touching opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province.

The altercation happened in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting Wessels on the head.

After the Connacht player complained to the match official, the contact was reviewed by the television match official, who determined no conclusive video evidence.

Wessels remained on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.

While the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which states:

"Any athlete must not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals."

The panel concluded that the event reached the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under World Rugby rules for such an infringement.

Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was shortened by three weeks because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his good record.

The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, Italy and the Irish team.

He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bègles and Northampton.

The prop has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion squad over the summer.

The Connacht player, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.