Springbok Player Wessels Handed Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact
The player will be unavailable for South Africa's autumn internationals.
Springbok prop Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for grabbing opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.
This event happened in the early stages of the close contest against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting the South African on the head area.
After the Connacht player complained to referee Mike Adamson, the event was reviewed by the television match official, who found no definitive proof.
The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.
Although the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have violated law 9.27, which states:
"A player must not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes touching, pulling or compressing the genitals."
Disciplinary officials concluded that the event met the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under World Rugby rules for such an violation.
However, Wessels' suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his good record.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, Italy and the Irish team.
He will also miss the his club's league matches against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bègles and Northampton.
The prop has earned 10 caps for the Springboks and was included in their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to face Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
