🔗 Share this article South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Game Suspension for Inappropriate Contact Wessels will be unavailable for the Springboks' fall fixtures. Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province. The altercation happened in the early stages of the close contest against Connacht on Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head. Following the Connacht player complained to the match official, the event was examined by the television match official, who found no conclusive video evidence. The Bulls player remained on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the match. While the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached law 9.27, which specifies: "Any athlete should not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers touching, pulling or squeezing the private areas." The panel determined that the event met the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under international rugby rules for such an offence. Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was shortened by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior during the proceedings and his good record. Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and Ireland. Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints. The prop has earned 10 caps for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer. The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.
Wessels will be unavailable for the Springboks' fall fixtures. Springbok front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province. The altercation happened in the early stages of the close contest against Connacht on Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head. Following the Connacht player complained to the match official, the event was examined by the television match official, who found no conclusive video evidence. The Bulls player remained on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the match. While the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached law 9.27, which specifies: "Any athlete should not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers touching, pulling or squeezing the private areas." The panel determined that the event met the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under international rugby rules for such an offence. Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was shortened by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior during the proceedings and his good record. Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and Ireland. Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints. The prop has earned 10 caps for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer. The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.