Springbok Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Game Ban for Genital Grab

South Africa prop Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for grabbing Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.

The altercation occurred in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after striking back by hitting 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.

Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the match.

Although the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a governing body, Wessels was found to have violated law 9.27, which specifies:

"A player must not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, pulling or squeezing the genitals."

The panel were satisfied that the event reached the level for dismissal and justified a three-month ban, the minimum suspension under international rugby rules for such an violation.

However, the player's ban was reduced by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.

Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team.

He will additionally be absent for the Bulls' league matches against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints.

Wessels has earned ten international appearances for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament.

Murphy, meanwhile, is available to face the Irish rivals in this weekend's domestic clash after being exonerated.