South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Game Ban for Genital Grab

South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht.

The incident happened in the 18th minute of the Bulls' 28-27 win in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head area.

Following Murphy complained to the match official, the event was checked by the TMO, who determined no conclusive video evidence.

The Bulls player remained on the pitch until he was replaced in the later stages of the game.

Although the URC announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have breached the code of conduct, which declares:

"Any athlete should not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals."

Disciplinary officials concluded that the event met the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum ban under international rugby regulations for such an infringement.

Nonetheless, the player's suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.

Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will prevent 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 Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.

Wessels has won 10 caps for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion team during the recent tournament.

Murphy, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.