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

South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' URC victory over the Irish province.

The altercation occurred in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head.

After Murphy reported the incident to the match official, the contact was examined by the television match official, who determined insufficient clear footage.

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

While the URC announced that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was deemed to have violated law 9.27, which specifies:

"A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals."

Disciplinary officials concluded that the incident reached the level for dismissal and justified a three-month ban, the minimum ban under international rugby rules for such an infringement.

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

Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the young player out of the Springboks' fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, the Azzurri and Ireland.

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

The prop has earned 10 caps for the Springboks and was included in their tri-nations champion team during the recent tournament.

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