Springbok forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels has had his nine-week suspension reduced to eight matches following an appeal hearing before the United Rugby Championship (URC) disciplinary panel on Wednesday.
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The Bulls front-rower was handed the initial ban last week for alleged conduct “against the spirit of good sportsmanship” after Connacht flanker Josh Murphy accused him of testicle grabbing during the teams’ clash in Galway on October 17, which the Bulls won 28-27.
Controversial incident
The incident occurred when Wessels and Murphy became entangled at a breakdown.
Murphy retaliated twice, prompting referee Mike Adamson to show him a 20-minute red card.
Match officials, including TMO Hollie Davidson, reviewed the footage, but found no conclusive evidence to support the claim against Wessels.
Despite that, a citing commissioner later charged the Bulls player, leading to the nine-week ban that triggered an outcry from fans, pundits, and players alike.
The appeal hearing
During the appeal, chaired by Roddy MacLeod (Scotland) with Achille Reali (Italy) and Robert Milligan KC (Scotland), the Bulls requested a de novo hearing – a complete retrial of the case.
However, the panel ruled there were no exceptional circumstances warranting a fresh hearing.
The appeal instead focused on whether the original panel erred in its findings or sanction length.
While most of the Bulls’ arguments were dismissed, the panel agreed to a slight reduction, making Wessels eligible to play again from December 20.
Matter closed
In a statement, the URC confirmed that the matter is now closed, with both the original and appeal decisions set to be published “in due course.”
The ruling ends weeks of uncertainty but leaves lingering questions about disciplinary consistency and the threshold for citing incidents where video evidence is inconclusive.
The Bulls have not yet issued an official response to the outcome.
Jan-Hendrik Wessels will miss the Springboks’ five-match end-of-year tour. No replacement is expected to be called up.
