RUGBY CONFIDENTIAL: Former Australia captain hunted by French police reveals his battle to save money and time to challenge five-year prison sentence, what it’s like living out of a backpack and why he believes he’ll clear his name

It’s the kind of storyline you’d expect from an old movie set in the Outback: Wallaby on the Run.

Rocky Elsom couldn’t reveal his location when he answered my call Tuesday evening, but he lives out of a backpack with the help of a few friends.

Last month, a surprise arrest warrant was issued for the former Australia captain, 41, who was sentenced in absentia to five years in prison in France for forgery and embezzlement during his time as Narbonne club president.

The charges include backdating contracts and illegal money transfers, with Elsom ordered to pay more than €700,000 (£583,000). It is a complex case and many believe Elsom is being used as a scapegoat after the club went into administration in 2018.

When gardai tried to track him down last month, Elsom was living in Dublin, where he taught rugby at the Catholic University School, but has since gone into hiding.

The former back rower has been sentenced in absentia to five years in prison for forgery and embezzlement during his time at French side Narbonne

The charges included backdating contracts and illegal money transfers, with Elsom ordered to pay more than €700,000 (£583,000).

“As soon as I saw the news reports I immediately packed my things,” Elsom, who won 75 caps for the Wallabies and won the Heineken Cup with Leinster in 2009, told Mail Sport. ‘I was packing when people called me to tell me what they had read.

‘I had only been in Dublin for six weeks. I was there on a holiday visa. I left all my stuff behind. When I left, I only had a backpack with two shirts and a toiletry bag.

“It’s unusual to think that one day you’ll wake up and be convicted of something and sentenced to prison and you had no idea there was a trial against you. It appears that no real attempt was made to contact me prior to this.’

A few weeks earlier, Elsom had been interviewed by a newspaper about his coaching work in Ireland.

“In France they would say they have been trying to contact me for eight years,” he said. ‘But the Gardai were able to do it within an hour of the extradition. They got my phone number.

“You’d have to ask them how they got it, but the newspaper article would certainly have been a traitor. How they got my home address and my kids’ phone numbers is a little different, but it certainly didn’t take long.

“They came to CUS, they came to my house and when they couldn’t find me, they called me and said, ‘If you’re in Ireland, we’re going to bring you in.’ I said, ‘That’s fine, I’m not in Ireland’.”

Elsom does not want to clarify whether he left the country by plane, car or boat. Crossing the border into Northern Ireland would have been the quickest option.

When gardai tried to track him down last month, Elsom was living in Dublin, where he coached rugby at the Catholic University School

The flanker played for several clubs including Leinster, most notably winning the Heineken Cup with the Ireland side in 2009

He recently worked as a builder but relies on friends and savings.

“It’s almost impossible for me to generate revenue right now,” he said. “That could change in the future, but right now it’s understandably harder for me to generate income while I have a warrant out for my arrest and I’m trying not to be noticed.

“It looks kind of suspicious when someone hides their face, so I just don’t go out much.” If you see someone hiding their face, it is likely to attract more attention. I know people where I am, so it’s not like I’m in an igloo.

‘Staying in a hotel would be a little more concerning as my name would be on the room. I need to try and get some exercise if I can and some sun as this could go on for a while.”

Before the trial, the only attempt to contact him was through letters sent to an unused storage facility in Sydney.

“Financially it’s incredibly restrictive. But on top of that you have costs, especially legal costs,” he said. ‘You can quite easily build up a bill of € 10,000 if your lawyer has to figure everything out himself and I don’t have access to a computer.

“I just have to use all the information I can get from the court and gather the documents where I am to prepare a case.” It’s been eight years and I don’t have full access to the club.

“It’s about trying to get back in touch with the club and their professionals who were responsible for the accounts and who are in possession of some of the information that could exonerate me.”

Elsom revealed that he has recently worked as a builder but relies on friends and savings for his money

Elsom is now trying to clear his name, claiming that ‘quite a few things were wrong’ regarding the case against him

He added: “There are quite a few things that don’t add up. There was no mismanagement. The case is so fragile that it’s clear they were looking for the crime or something to throw mud at before looking for something else.

‘They had their trial without me. I think it’s an attempt to rewrite the story of 2018 when they changed coaches mid-season. That coach went to the last-ranked team in the league and went on a phenomenal winning streak.

‘At the same time, Narbonne won about one match in fifteen. That was the biggest losing run they had ever experienced and it was poorly managed financially as they went into administration at the end of the season.

‘The most important thing is that I don’t think the allegations can show that any damage has been done to the club.’

The case continues.

British and Irish Lions unveil new jersey

Mike Ashley’s son-in-law Michael Murray was among the guests at the unveiling of the 2025 British and Irish Lions jersey on Wednesday morning.

The event was held on Oxford Street at the flagship Flannels store, which sits under Ashley’s Fraser Group empire alongside Sports Direct.

The goody bags handed out to guests reflected Ashley’s cost-cutting efforts, featuring Australian hats and a notepad, rather than the £84 jumper given out before previous tours.

The British and Irish Lions have unveiled their new kit for their 2025 tour of Australia

The event was held on Oxford Street at the Flannels flagship store, with several former Lions in attendance

England’s surprising new ‘sleep yoga’ workout plan

The England players are using ‘sleep yoga’ to prepare for Saturday’s match against the Wallabies.

Flanker Tom Curry was one of the biggest fans of the sessions, led by sports therapist Becky Behan in the evenings at Pennyhill Park.

Sleep yoga is a meditative practice that combines yoga and sleep science, usually involving relaxation positions and breathing techniques.

Could another English star jump to France?

Stout Harlequins winger Will Evans has become the latest player to be linked with a move away from the club at the end of the season.

Evans is believed to be exploring a move to French side ProD2 when his contract expires.

Quins are facing a major exodus, with center Lennox Anyanwu and young hooker Nathan Jibulu both looking elsewhere.

Veterans Danny Care and Joe Marler are set to retire, while another former England international, Joe Launchbury, is out of contract.

England are using ‘sleep yoga’ to prepare for Saturday’s match against Australia

Harlequins could face a major exodus of players next year, with Will Evans (centre) linked with a move to France

Promising young center Lennox Anyanwu (pictured) could also leave the London club

Lions Chiefs are hoping for a free-to-air match in Dublin

Final negotiations are underway over a broadcast deal for the Lions match against Argentina in Dublin next year, as the match is not part of the Sky Sports package for the tour of Australia.

Lions Chiefs hope to broadcast the match on free-to-air TV after striking a deal with Channel 4 for their match against Japan ahead of the 2021 tour of South Africa.