🔗 Share this article South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact The player is ruled out for South Africa's upcoming test matches. Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht. The incident happened in the 18th minute 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. Following the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the event was checked by the television match official, who determined no conclusive video evidence. Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the match. Although the URC announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have breached the code of conduct, which declares: "Any athlete must not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or compressing the private areas." The panel concluded that the contact met the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest ban under international rugby rules for such an infringement. However, Wessels' ban was reduced by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland. Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton. Wessels has earned 10 caps for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament. Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to face Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being cleared.
The player is ruled out for South Africa's upcoming test matches. Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht. The incident happened in the 18th minute 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. Following the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the event was checked by the television match official, who determined no conclusive video evidence. Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the match. Although the URC announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a governing body, the Springbok was deemed to have breached the code of conduct, which declares: "Any athlete must not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or compressing the private areas." The panel concluded that the contact met the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest ban under international rugby rules for such an infringement. However, Wessels' ban was reduced by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland. Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton. Wessels has earned 10 caps for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament. Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to face Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being cleared.