Precedent.

Tadhg Furlong could face a lengthy suspension if the allegation that he grabbed Gavin Coombes’ genitals is upheld, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels’ case last season providing a significant comparison.

The Leinster and Ireland prop has been cited under Law 9.27 following an incident in the 37th minute of Saturday’s victory over Munster at the Aviva Stadium.

Coombes raised the allegation with referee Andrew Brace during the game, but a review involving television match official Colin Stanley failed to identify evidence of foul play at the time.

Under World Rugby’s sanctions, grabbing, twisting or squeezing an opponent’s genitals carries a low-end entry point of 12 weeks. That rises to 18 weeks for a mid-range offence and 24 weeks or more for a top-end offence, before any applicable mitigation.

The Wessels case demonstrates that the absence of conclusive television footage does not necessarily prevent a disciplinary panel from upholding a charge.

The Bulls and Springboks forward was initially handed a nine-game suspension after an incident involving Connacht’s Josh Murphy in October 2025.

No additional camera angles were presented at his hearing, with testimony from Murphy and the citing commissioner forming the basis of the panel’s findings despite the lack of conclusive visual evidence.

Wessels denied the allegation and appealed. The finding against him was upheld, although his suspension was reduced to eight games after the appeal committee awarded an additional week of mitigation.

His original sanction had been reduced from the 12-week low-end entry point, illustrating the substantial punishment possible even when an offence falls at the lower end of the scale.

However, that outcome does not establish what will happen in Furlong’s case. The panel must assess the evidence independently and determine whether the charge is proven before considering any suspension.

For Ireland, the potential consequences are considerable, with Furlong’s availability for November’s Nations Championship fixtures now in doubt as the disciplinary process unfolds.