An international rugby star has been banned for handling the nether regions of an opponent.
South Africa‘s Jan-Hendrik Wessels will be out for nine weeks after grabbing the genitals of Josh Murphy during Bulls’ clash with Connacht in Galway, Ireland on Friday.
The front-row star, 24, was not penalised at the time but the United Rugby Championship’s independent disciplinary panel later found him culpable.
He is now set to miss the Springboks’ Autumn Internationals against Japan, France, Italy, Ireland, and Wales.
The flashpoint occurred during the 18th minute of Bulls’ 28-27 win. Wessels was initially unpinished but Murphy was given 20-minute red card after striking the South African’s head twice in retaliation.
Murphy will not serve a ban, the URC said, but Wessels has been disciplined after violating Law 9.27 of World Rugby’s code: ‘A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals.’
Jan-Hendriks Wessels (number 2) has been banned for nine weeks for grabbing the genitals of Josh Murphy (seen lifting his hand to strike in retaliation)
The 24-year-old will now miss South Africa’s five Autumn Internationals in November
Wessels was eligible for at least a 12-week ban but this has been reduced to nine because the URC recognised ‘the player’s good conduct prior to and at the hearing and good record’.
Murphy’s red card for his outburst has been rescinded. At the time of his dismissal, he had pleaded with referee Mike Adamson to review the footage with elevision match official Hollie Davidson.
‘He grabbed me here,’ Murphy had argued, gesturing at a place where the sun doesn’t shine.
‘Sir, look at it back, he grabbed me here, I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.
Referee Adamson hit back: ‘I understand what you’ve said, I will check that, but listen, what you did is unacceptable.’
The television footage at the time proved inconclusive.
Wessels is allowed to appeal and that will be his only possible route into playing in the Autumn Internationals.
He had been named in Rassie Erasmus’ 36-man squad and was hoping to build on his haul of seven caps.
‘It just got tougher!!’ wrote Erasmus on X as news of the ban broke, though he didn’t explicitly refer to Wessels.
‘We now have to beat them on the field, and in the boardrooms. Hamba man. Tsek. Loop Kak.’
South Africa were already contending with one suspension after wing Makazole Mapimpi was suspended for five weeks for a tip tackle on Michael Lowry as Sharks lost 34-26 to Ulster earlier this month.
