Springbok Player Wessels Handed Nine-Match Suspension for Genital Grab

South Africa front-rower Wessels faces a suspension of nine matches for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht.

The incident occurred in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head.

After Murphy complained to the match official, the contact was reviewed by the TMO, who found no definitive proof.

Wessels remained on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the game.

While the URC announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached law 9.27, which specifies:

"Any athlete should not do anything that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers touching, twisting or compressing the genitals."

The panel concluded that the incident met the level for dismissal and justified a three-month ban, the shortest suspension under World Rugby rules for such an infringement.

Nonetheless, the player's suspension was reduced by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.

Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, the suspension will prevent the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team.

He will also miss the his club's league matches against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bègles and Northampton.

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

Murphy, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being exonerated.