🔗 Share this article South African Forward Wessels Handed Nine-Match Suspension for Genital Grab The player will be unavailable for South Africa's upcoming test matches. South Africa prop Wessels has received a ban of nine games for grabbing Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province. The incident happened in the 18th minute of the close contest in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by hitting Wessels on the head area. Following the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was examined by the television match official, who concluded no conclusive video evidence. Wessels stayed on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the match. Although the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was rescinded by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached the code of conduct, which declares: "Any athlete must not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, twisting or squeezing the private areas." Disciplinary officials determined that the contact reached the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest ban under international rugby rules for such an infringement. Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was reduced by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the young player out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, France, Italy and Ireland. Wessels will also miss the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bègles and Northampton. The prop has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion team over the summer. Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to play against the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
The player will be unavailable for South Africa's upcoming test matches. South Africa prop Wessels has received a ban of nine games for grabbing Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over the Irish province. The incident happened in the 18th minute of the close contest in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by hitting Wessels on the head area. Following the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was examined by the television match official, who concluded no conclusive video evidence. Wessels stayed on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the match. Although the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was rescinded by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached the code of conduct, which declares: "Any athlete must not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, twisting or squeezing the private areas." Disciplinary officials determined that the contact reached the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest ban under international rugby rules for such an infringement. Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was reduced by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history. The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the young player out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, France, Italy and Ireland. Wessels will also miss the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bègles and Northampton. The prop has earned 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion team over the summer. Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to play against the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.