Springbok Forward Wessels Given Nine-Game Ban for Inappropriate Contact

South Africa prop Wessels has been suspended of nine games for grabbing Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' URC win over the Irish province.

The altercation occurred in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by hitting the South African on the head.

After the Connacht player complained to referee Mike Adamson, the event was examined by the TMO, who determined no conclusive video evidence.

Wessels remained on the pitch until he was replaced in the second half of the match.

Although the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was rescinded by a governing body, Wessels was found to have breached the code of conduct, which specifies:

"Any athlete should not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the genitals."

The panel were satisfied that the event met the red card threshold and warranted a 12-week suspension, the minimum ban under international rugby regulations for such an infringement.

Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was shortened 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 appeal, but currently, the ban will rule the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.

He will also miss the his club's league matches against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.

The prop has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion team during the recent tournament.

Murphy, meanwhile, is available to face Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.