Springbok Forward Wessels Handed Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab

South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels faces a suspension of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over Connacht.

The incident happened in the 18th minute of the close contest against Connacht on Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by striking Wessels on the head area.

Following the Connacht player complained to the match official, the situation was examined by the television match official, who determined insufficient clear footage.

Wessels stayed on the field until he was substituted in the second half of the match.

While the United Rugby Championship confirmed that Murphy's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a governing body, the Springbok was found to have breached law 9.27, which states:

"Any athlete should not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the private areas."

Disciplinary officials determined that the contact met the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the minimum suspension under international rugby regulations for such an offence.

However, the player's ban was shortened by three weeks because of his good conduct during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.

Wessels and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but as it stands, the ban will prevent the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.

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

Wessels has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion squad over the summer.

The Connacht player, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in this weekend's domestic clash after being cleared.