Disgraceful URC ruling against Wessels must be challenged

SOUTH African rugby and the United Rugby Championship have enjoyed a protracted honeymoon over the last three years or so, but the disgraceful handling of the Jan-Hendrik Wessels affair has ended that.

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It is time for the heavyweight administrators of the game in this country to roll up their sleeves and demand justice after a disgraceful initial hearing into the allegation of genital grabbing was followed up by an appeal hearing that was emasculated - if you will pardon the expression — of any purpose to find the truth. They more or less covered up the findings of the first hearing.

SA Rugby, the Bulls, and their financiers Patrice Motsepe and Johann Rupert, must take this farce to the Council for Arbitration in Sport, because a few simple facts remain - firstly, there remains no evidence to convict Wessels of molesting Connacht's Josh Murphy during a ruck; secondly, it is Wessels' word against that of Murphy.

The latter says that Wessels grabbed — heads, hands, and boots end up in all kinds of positions.

The first hearing convicted Wessels on the word of Murphy and the unconvincing photo stills.

For the appeal, the Bulls asked for a “De Novo’ (start afresh) hearing, but they were turned down. This was the first slap on the face.