Springbok Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact

South Africa prop Wessels has been suspended of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht.

This event took place in the 18th minute of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by hitting the South African on the head.

Following Murphy complained to the match official, the situation was examined by the television match official, who determined insufficient clear footage.

The Bulls player remained on the pitch until he was replaced in the second half of the game.

Although the URC announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was overturned by a governing body, Wessels was found to have breached law 9.27, which declares:

"Any athlete should not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, pulling or compressing the genitals."

Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the contact reached the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the minimum ban under international rugby rules for such an infringement.

Nonetheless, the player's ban was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior during the hearing and his good record.

The forward and the Bulls are entitled to appeal, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.

He will additionally be absent for the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bordeaux and Saints.

Wessels has won 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament.

The Connacht player, meanwhile, is eligible to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.