Bulls confirm Wessels withdrawn because of URC disciplinary as Rassie weighs in

The Vodacom Bulls continue to wait for the official verdict from the Vodacom United Rugby Championship disciplinary committee, despite a guilty finding against Springbok utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels on Tuesday.

The verdict, not released officially but reported by other news outlets of Wessels being banned for nine weeks after he was found guilty of grabbing the groin area of Connacht flanker Josh Murphy despite there being no video evidence of the incident.

While privately officials from the URC said the verdict would be made public on Thursday morning, there was no sign of it all day as the Bulls continued to wait.

But the fall out from the expected verdict has begun, with the Bulls privately fuming and readying themselves for the appeal process while even Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus seems to have weighed in.

While Erasmus didn’t indicate that he was specifically referring to the reporting about the verdict on Wessels, it seemed that he was as Wessels is in the squad as his third hooker for the upcoming tour of Europe.

On Wednesday another Springbok - Makazole Mapimpi - was banned for five weeks by a disciplinary committee for a tip tackle.

Mapimpi wasn’t in the Bok squad for the tour but was listed as a standby player.

Erasmus tweeted: “It just got tougher! We now have to beat them on the field and in the boardrooms. Hamba man. Tsek. Loop k*k”

It just got tougher !! We now have to beat them on the field. and in the boardrooms. Hamba man. Tsek. Loop Kak

— Johan Erasmus (@RassieRugby) October 23, 2025

The reason why the Bulls are fuming about any possible sanction for Wessels is precisely because there doesn’t seem to be any video evidence on the incident, and simply accepting the accusation of an opposition player would be a very dangerous precedent that could have far-reaching implications for rugby.

Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone told Supersport: “While the URC has not yet issued official communication, the Vodacom Bulls fully respect and will adhere to the judicial process, which provides for an appeal opportunity.”

The incident happened during the 19th minute of the game, when Connacht flanker Josh Murphy lashed out against Wessels in the middle of a ruck, striking him in the face and then apologising to the referee, but claiming at the same time that Wessels had grabbed him in the groin area in the ruck.

Whether it happened, accidental or on purpose, the refereeing team as well as TMO Holly Davidson scoured the footage more than 10 times in the game and could find no conclusive evidence of any wrongdoing.

As such, the only incident that the referee could adjudicate on was a strike to the head, which cost Connacht and Murphy a 20-minute red card and incensed the crowd.

But the question remains - how - if multiple replays and an entire refereeing team could find nothing conclusive, could Wessels be banned for the act? This is why the written judicial decision will be crucial for the Bulls.

It has been confirmed that no new evidence was offered at the disciplinary hearing, and the reasons for the supposed ban remain unknown.

Normally the URC sends out a press release detailing the findings within an hour of the verdict being known, or at least the same day.

On Thursday Bulls coach Johan Ackermann confirmed that Wessels would have played for the side in their next URC match against Glasgow Warriors on Friday night but had been withdrawn because of the disciplinary decision.

The Bulls named their side for the clash without Wessels in the match day 23 and until the official written decision is released, the future is unclear for his participation in both URC games and the Springbok tour of Europe.