In brief
An ex-rugby luminary, Rocky Elsom, now based in Dublin, has been sentenced in absentia by a French court to five years in prison for embezzlement activities while he was president of RC Narbonne in 2015-16.
French media reports have announced that an international arrest warrant has been issued for Rocky Elsom, the revered former captain of Australia's national rugby team, following his conviction on embezzlement charges. During his tenure in 2015-16 as the president of RC Narbonne, a prestigious French rugby club, Elsom was found guilty of misappropriating approximately €700,000. The court convicted him in his absence, assigning a five-year prison sentence, along with a mandate to repay the embezzled sum.Elsom, who has taken residence in Dublin, Ireland, where he coaches youth rugby at a private school, shared in an October interview his plans to stay in the city until December. Notably, Elsom played a critical role in Leinster Rugby's 2009 Heineken Cup victory and is cherished in Irish sporting circles.The alleged offenses included unauthorized payments to a former coach and a salary issued to an absent Australian resident, all occurring under his presidency. This financial misconduct led to the club's administration and eventual relegation to lower divisions in 2018. The case has stirred significant attention given Elsom's acclaimed rugby career with the Wallabies and his post-retirement ventures, positioning him once again in the international spotlight, now for legal accountability.
