🔗 Share this article South African Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact Wessels will miss for South Africa's autumn internationals. South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht. The incident happened in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by hitting Wessels on the head area. After Murphy reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the event was reviewed by the television match official, who found no definitive proof. The Bulls player stayed on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the match. While the URC announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was rescinded by a governing body, the Springbok was found to have violated the code of conduct, which specifies: "A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, pulling or squeezing the genitals." The panel determined that the event reached the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an infringement. Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was reduced by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his good record. Wessels and the Bulls have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team. He will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints. The prop has won 10 caps for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer. The Connacht player, meanwhile, is available to play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
Wessels will miss for South Africa's autumn internationals. South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht. The incident happened in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by hitting Wessels on the head area. After Murphy reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the event was reviewed by the television match official, who found no definitive proof. The Bulls player stayed on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the match. While the URC announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was rescinded by a governing body, the Springbok was found to have violated the code of conduct, which specifies: "A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, pulling or squeezing the genitals." The panel determined that the event reached the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an infringement. Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was reduced by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his good record. Wessels and the Bulls have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team. He will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints. The prop has won 10 caps for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer. The Connacht player, meanwhile, is available to play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.