Springbok Forward Wessels Given Nine-Match Ban for Genital Grab

South Africa prop Wessels has been suspended of nine games for touching Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' URC victory over the Irish province.

This event happened in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting Wessels on the head area.

Following the Connacht player complained to the match official, the contact was reviewed by the TMO, who determined no conclusive video evidence.

The Bulls player stayed on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the game.

Although the URC confirmed that the Irish player's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have violated law 9.27, which states:

"Any athlete should not do anything that is against the principles of fair play. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or squeezing the genitals."

The panel determined that the event reached the level for dismissal and justified a three-month ban, the minimum ban under international rugby rules for such an offence.

Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was shortened by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his good record.

Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, France, Italy and the Irish team.

He will also miss the his club's URC games against Glasgow, the Emirates Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup games with Bordeaux and Northampton.

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

Murphy, meanwhile, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.