Springbok Player Wessels Given Nine-Match Suspension for Inappropriate Contact

South Africa prop Wessels has received a ban of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht.

This event occurred in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by striking Wessels on the head.

After the Connacht player complained to the match official, the event was checked by the TMO, who found no definitive proof.

The Bulls player remained on the field until he was replaced in the second half of the game.

While the United Rugby Championship confirmed that Murphy's temporary sending-off was overturned by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was deemed to have breached the code of conduct, which declares:

"A player must not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the genitals."

Disciplinary officials concluded that the contact reached the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest ban under international rugby regulations for such an offence.

However, Wessels' suspension was shortened by three weeks because of his good conduct during the hearing and his good record.

The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team.

Wessels will also miss the his club's URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Saints.

Wessels has won 10 caps for South Africa and was included in their tri-nations champion squad over the summer.

Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to play against the Irish rivals in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.