South African Player Wessels Receives Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact

South Africa prop Wessels has been suspended of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht.

This event occurred in the 18th minute of the Bulls' 28-27 win in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head area.

Following Murphy reported the incident to the match official, the contact was reviewed by the television match official, who found no conclusive video evidence.

Wessels stayed on the field until he was substituted in the second half of the game.

While the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached law 9.27, which declares:

"Any athlete must not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, twisting or compressing the genitals."

The panel concluded that the incident reached the level for dismissal and warranted a three-month ban, the minimum ban under World Rugby rules for such an violation.

However, Wessels' ban was reduced by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.

The forward and the Bulls have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, Italy and Ireland.

He will additionally be absent for the his club's league matches against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.

The prop has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion team during the recent tournament.

Murphy, in contrast, is available to play against the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.