In a fiery expose following the United Rugby Championship clash in Galway, Connacht's Josh Murphy spilled the beans to the citing commissioner about an alleged indecent assault by Bulls player Jan-Hendrik Wessels. The incident, which led to Murphy striking Wessels and receiving a red card, has stirred significant controversy and a disciplinary aftermath that saw Wessels slapped with a hefty nine-game suspension.
The match between Connacht and the Bulls was marred when Murphy accused Wessels of groping him during a ruck, an action that Murphy claimed involved a painful and provocative grab and twist of his testicles. "While I was doing that, there were a good few players trying to stop me, and then later on in the ruck, when I went further forward in it, I ended up kind of on my knees, and then that’s when I felt the player grab my testicles, and that’s when I reacted immediately," Murphy recounted during the interview with the citing commissioner.
"That’s what happened. That’s why I reacted, because of how he grabbed and squeezed my testicles. I wouldn’t have reacted like that otherwise."
Murphy's allegations were taken seriously, leading to a detailed review during the match by referee Mike Adamson with the assistance of TMO Hollie Davidson, though the footage failed to conclusively back Murphy’s claims at the time. Despite the lack of immediate evidence, the post-match disciplinary proceedings took Murphy's detailed testimony into account, where he reiterated the intensity and deliberateness of the grope.
The hearing scrutinized Murphy's ability to clearly identify Wessels as the perpetrator, given the chaotic nature of the ruck and the brief duration of the incident. However, Murphy was adamant, stating, "I knew exactly the second he did it, I reacted. So that’s where you need to look, not any time before that."
Wessels' defense was described as brief and unsupported by third-party evidence, which contrasted sharply with Murphy's detailed account, leading to the substantial suspension handed to Wessels. This decision has sparked debates about the effectiveness and fairness of the URC’s disciplinary processes, with calls for an overhaul to avoid what some see as a "shambolic failure" in handling such sensitive cases.
The committee ultimately found Murphy's testimony to be "credible, clear and detailed," a factor that heavily influenced their decision to impose a significant ban on Wessels, sidelining him for upcoming international fixtures and raising questions about the incident's long-term impact on both players' careers.
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In a fiery expose following the United Rugby Championship clash in Galway, Connacht's Josh Murphy spilled the beans to the citing commissioner about an alleged indecent assault by Bulls player Jan-Hendrik Wessels. The incident, which led to Murphy striking Wessels and receiving a red card, has stirred significant controversy and a disciplinary aftermath that saw Wessels slapped with a hefty nine-game suspension.
The match between Connacht and the Bulls was marred when Murphy accused Wessels of groping him during a ruck, an action that Murphy claimed involved a painful and provocative grab and twist of his testicles. "While I was doing that, there were a good few players trying to stop me, and then later on in the ruck, when I went further forward in it, I ended up kind of on my knees, and then that’s when I felt the player grab my testicles, and that’s when I reacted immediately," Murphy recounted during the interview with the citing commissioner.
"That’s what happened. That’s why I reacted, because of how he grabbed and squeezed my testicles. I wouldn’t have reacted like that otherwise."
Murphy's allegations were taken seriously, leading to a detailed review during the match by referee Mike Adamson with the assistance of TMO Hollie Davidson, though the footage failed to conclusively back Murphy’s claims at the time. Despite the lack of immediate evidence, the post-match disciplinary proceedings took Murphy's detailed testimony into account, where he reiterated the intensity and deliberateness of the grope.
The hearing scrutinized Murphy's ability to clearly identify Wessels as the perpetrator, given the chaotic nature of the ruck and the brief duration of the incident. However, Murphy was adamant, stating, "I knew exactly the second he did it, I reacted. So that’s where you need to look, not any time before that."
Wessels' defense was described as brief and unsupported by third-party evidence, which contrasted sharply with Murphy's detailed account, leading to the substantial suspension handed to Wessels. This decision has sparked debates about the effectiveness and fairness of the URC’s disciplinary processes, with calls for an overhaul to avoid what some see as a "shambolic failure" in handling such sensitive cases.
The committee ultimately found Murphy's testimony to be "credible, clear and detailed," a factor that heavily influenced their decision to impose a significant ban on Wessels, sidelining him for upcoming international fixtures and raising questions about the incident's long-term impact on both players' careers.