Former head of Irish referees Owen Doyle insists the testicle-grabbing incidents involving Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Tadhg Furlong were different.
Leinster prop Furlong was cleared of foul play last week after being cited for allegedly grabbing Munster No 8 Gavin Coombes’ testicles during a URC match in Dublin.
Coombes reported the incident to referee Andrew Brace during the first half, but TMO Colin Stanley could not find conclusive video evidence. A disciplinary panel subsequently dismissed the citing complaint.
The verdict sparked controversy in South Africa, where Bulls hooker Wessels received a nine-week suspension (later reduced to eight) last season following an alleged similar incident involving Connacht flank Josh Murphy.
Wessels was banned despite the absence of clear video evidence, while Murphy’s red card for retaliating by punching Wessels was later rescinded.
Writing in his Irish Times column, Doyle defended the decision to cite Furlong but explained why securing a conviction would have been difficult.
“While the video of Furlong’s action on Gavin Coombes looked damning, nobody could actually see whether or not there was testicle-grabbing.
“There has been some criticism of citing commissioner, Peter Ferguson, for levelling the charge in the first place. Not so; once he saw what we’ve all seen, he would have been negligent not to cite. Neither should Coombes be criticised.
“One potential defence would have been for Furlong to deny the charge, and to state that any contact was inadvertent and completely unintentional.
“Without clear evidence to the contrary, and putting aside the emotion involved, the tribunal would have found it hard to convict; a verdict which may well have seen everybody heading to the Four Courts [Ireland’s most prominent courts building].”
MORE: Furlong avoids Jan-Hendrik’s fate
However, Doyle believes Murphy’s immediate reaction to Wessels provided a significant distinction between the two cases.
“Despite the commentary coming out of South Africa, it was different from the Jan-Hendrik Wessels incident, where Connacht’s Josh Murphy was red-carded for his immediate retaliation in whacking the Bulls’ player.
“On that alone, the probability that something nasty occurred seemed beyond reasonable doubt, which in Furlong’s case it wasn’t.
“Murphy’s reaction – what all of us would have done – was later adjudicated not to have reached the threshold for red, which was rescinded.”
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Doyle also called for rugby’s lawmakers to consider banning a particular cleanout technique to prevent similar incidents.
“On health and safety grounds, there is a strong case for specifically outlawing the practice of putting an arm between an opponents legs, in proximity to the groin region, in an effort to lift or destabilise the player.
“It’s a clearing out technique which the game does not need.”
Josh Murphy red card for Connacht against Blue Bulls.
Was there a bit of ball grabbing before?
#URC https://t.co/BasUkyolXD
— Saffas Abroad Rugby (@SaffasRugby) October 20, 2025
Gavin Coombes suggested that his groin had been grabbed, and from the footage, it looks fairly obvious what happened.
It’s an incident that could have completely changed the outcome of the game. If the player is cited now, it’ll be little consolation to Munster. https://t.co/bmN4zEBvjJ
— Joe Naughton (@JoeNaConnacht) October 25, 2026
The post Ex-Irish ref: Something nasty in Wessels case appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Former head of Irish referees Owen Doyle insists the testicle-grabbing incidents involving Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Tadhg Furlong were different.
The post Ex-Irish ref: Something nasty in Wessels case appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
