Springbok Player Wessels Given Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact
Wessels will be unavailable for the Springboks' autumn internationals.
South Africa prop Wessels has been suspended of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province.
The altercation took place in the early stages of the close contest against Connacht on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head area.
After the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was examined by the television match official, who concluded insufficient clear footage.
Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was replaced in the later stages of the game.
While the URC announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have violated law 9.27, which states:
"A player must not engage in actions that is against the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or compressing the private areas."
Disciplinary officials concluded that the event met the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an infringement.
However, Wessels' ban was shortened by three weeks because of his good conduct during the hearing and his good record.
The forward and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will rule the young player out of the South African national team's fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bègles and Northampton.
The prop has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is available to play against Munster in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.
