Springbok Player Wessels Handed Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact

South Africa prop Wessels has received a ban of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' URC victory over the Irish province.

This event happened in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head area.

Following the Connacht player reported the incident to the match official, the event was reviewed by the television match official, who determined no definitive proof.

The Bulls player stayed on the field until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.

Although the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have violated law 9.27, which specifies:

"A player should not do anything that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals."

Disciplinary officials concluded that the incident reached the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the minimum suspension under international rugby rules for such an infringement.

However, the player's suspension was shortened by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his good record.

Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, Italy and the Irish team.

He will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bordeaux and Northampton.

The prop has won ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament.

The Connacht player, meanwhile, is eligible to play against the Irish rivals in Saturday's domestic clash after being exonerated.