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

South Africa front-rower Wessels faces a suspension of nine matches for grabbing Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over the Irish province.

The altercation occurred in the early stages of the Bulls' 28-27 win in Galway on Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by striking Wessels on the head area.

Following Murphy complained to the match official, the contact was checked by the television match official, who concluded no definitive proof.

The Bulls player stayed on the field until he was replaced in the second half of the game.

While the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have breached the code of conduct, which declares:

"A player must not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the private areas."

Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the contact met the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under World Rugby rules for such an offence.

Nonetheless, the player's ban was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his good record.

Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to appeal, but currently, the ban will prevent the young player 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 Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.

The prop has earned ten international appearances for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning team over the summer.

The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to face Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being exonerated.