Former Wallabies captain issued international arrest warrant following sentence from French court – report

Former Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom has been issued with an international arrest warrant after a ruling in French court, according to local reports.

AFP state that the 75-cap Wallaby was handed a five-year sentence for ‘misuse of corporate assets’ and forgery by a French court, but he was absent for the sentencing and has now been issued this warrant.

International arrest warrant

Charges were brought upon Elsom as a result of his tenure as president of two-time French champions Narbonne, in which he is accused of paying a reported €79,000 to a former coach when ‘nothing could justify it’.

According to reports from AFP, he also paid an Australian €7,200 a month despite the individual never coming to the club, and the lawyer in the case said they ‘did not perform any service’ for the club in that time.

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Furthermore, Elsom was found guilty of forgery and ordered to pay €705,000. He was also found guilty of using forged documents as well.

The initial sentence the prosecutor recommended was two years, however, the President of the court handed the former Wallaby a five-year sentence instead.

Narbonne, who won the French title in both 1936 and 1979, were liquidated in 2018 after years of financial issues.

Successful stint at Leinster

Elsom made his Wallabies debut in 2009 and featured for his country in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

He enjoyed a successful spell at Leinster in the 2008/09 season, where he helped the Irish province win the Heineken Cup under fellow Australian Michael Cheika.

The back-rower also featured for the Waratahs and the Brumbies during his career.

He saw controversy in his playing days too, and was suspended for four weeks after a fight with South African prop Jaco Engels.

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