The player will miss for South Africa's fall fixtures.
South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for making contact with Josh Murphy's genitals during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province.
The incident took place in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after striking back by hitting Wessels on the head.
Following Murphy complained to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was examined by the television match official, who concluded insufficient clear footage.
The Bulls player stayed on the field until he was replaced in the second half of the game.
Although the URC announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have breached law 9.27, which specifies:
"A player must not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or squeezing the genitals."
The panel were satisfied that the contact met the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under World Rugby rules for such an infringement.
Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was reduced by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior during the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Bulls are entitled to appeal, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the young player out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning team during the recent tournament.
The Connacht player, meanwhile, is available to face Munster in Saturday's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
