South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact

Springbok prop Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' URC win over Connacht.

This event took place in the 18th minute of the narrow victory against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by striking Wessels on the head area.

After Murphy complained to the match official, the situation was reviewed 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 match.

While the United Rugby Championship confirmed that Murphy's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a governing body, Wessels was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which declares:

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

Disciplinary officials determined that the event met the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under World Rugby regulations for such an infringement.

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

Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.

Wessels will additionally be absent for the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.

Wessels has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament.

Murphy, meanwhile, is available to face the Irish rivals in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.