đź”— Share this article Springbok Player Wessels Given Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact Wessels will be unavailable for the Springboks' upcoming test matches. Springbok prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province. This event occurred in the 18th minute of the close contest against Connacht on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after striking back by striking Wessels on the head. Following the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the event was checked by the TMO, who determined insufficient clear footage. The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the later stages of the match. Although the URC confirmed that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was overturned by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which states: "A player should not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes touching, pulling or squeezing the genitals." Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the contact met the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under international rugby rules for such an violation. However, Wessels' suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the young player out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland. He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Warriors, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton. The prop has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament. Murphy, meanwhile, is available to face the Irish rivals in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
Wessels will be unavailable for the Springboks' upcoming test matches. Springbok prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province. This event occurred in the 18th minute of the close contest against Connacht on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after striking back by striking Wessels on the head. Following the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the event was checked by the TMO, who determined insufficient clear footage. The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the later stages of the match. Although the URC confirmed that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was overturned by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which states: "A player should not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes touching, pulling or squeezing the genitals." Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the contact met the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under international rugby rules for such an violation. However, Wessels' suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the young player out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland. He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Warriors, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton. The prop has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their tri-nations champion squad during the recent tournament. Murphy, meanwhile, is available to face the Irish rivals in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.