International warrant issued for former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom after being sentenced to jail in France
- Found guilty of misuse of company property at French rugby club
- Sentenced in absentia to five years in prison
- Was previously ordered to pay $1.1 million in restitution
An international arrest warrant has been issued for former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom following his conviction by a French court.
Elsom was sentenced in absentia to five years in prison for misusing company assets during his tenure as president of French rugby club Narbonne, lawyer Patrick Tabet said.
The charges relate to Elsom’s stay in Narbonne between 2015 and 2016, where he was charged with forgery and ordered to repay €705,000. [$1.1million AUD].
Accusations include paying €79,000 [$128,000 AUD] to a former coach without justification and hiring someone from Australia for €7,200 [$11,500 AUD] a month that did not provide any services to the club.
The court imposed a sentence on Elsom that exceeded the prosecutor’s demand of two years.
An international arrest warrant has been issued for former Australian Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom
Elsom was found guilty of misuse of company property and sentenced to five years in prison in his absence by a French court
Narbonne, historically successful with championships in 1936 and 1979, faced financial problems and declared bankruptcy in 2018.
The club was acquired by Australian investment fund FGM in 2011, involving figures such as Bob Dwyer and David Gibson, neither of whom are involved in the case.
Elsom, a major shareholder in FGM, previously told SBS: ‘We had to save on seventeen contracts. I wasn’t the most popular person in town at the time.’
Elsom recently resurfaced in Ireland, giving an interview to The Sunday Times while coaching at Catholic University School in Dublin.
“I’m recovering from an injury and this is a good place to do that,” he said at the time.
The former Wallabies skipper played 75 Test matches for the Wallabies, 22 of which were as captain
Elsom left his construction company in Queensland and said: ‘I have people there who are very good. They don’t need me right now, so I’m happy with that.’
In the same interview, Elsom said he had not informed his former Leinster teammates of his presence in Dublin.
However, he was due to attend a Leinster vs Munster match in Croke Park as a guest.
Elsom’s spell with Leinster was memorable and led them to their first Heineken Cup title in 2009. Elsom was named player of the match in the final against Leicester Tigers.
Elsom’s rugby career includes 75 Test matches for the Wallabies, 22 of which were as captain.
He started in rugby league with the Canterbury Bulldogs before moving to the union, playing for the Waratahs and Brumbies and finding success with Leinster.
Former Waratahs coach Matt Williams, who also worked with Narbonne, expressed disappointment at the club’s decline.
“Rugby there, it’s the whole community; these small provincial towns are rugby towns.” he said.
“In the 60s, 70s and 80s, these were the powerhouses of French rugby… I’m happy that justice will be done, absolutely happy.
“It broke the community, broke their hearts. Some of those old guys there who gave their lives to the club… they saw outsiders come in and tear their club apart.”