South African Forward Wessels Receives Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact

South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for touching opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.

This event took place in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by striking Wessels on the head.

After the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was examined by the TMO, who concluded no definitive proof.

Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the second half of the game.

While the URC confirmed that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was overturned by a governing body, Wessels was deemed to have violated law 9.27, which states:

"Any athlete must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, pulling or squeezing the genitals."

The panel determined that the event met the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest ban under international rugby regulations for such an violation.

Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was reduced by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior during the hearing and his good record.

Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to appeal, but currently, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.

Wessels will also miss the his club's league matches against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bègles and Northampton.

Wessels has earned 10 caps for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer.

Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to face Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.