An international arrest warrant has been issued for Australian ex-rugby star Rocky Elsom following a conviction for embezzlement in France, French media say. The former captain of Australia's national team was president of RC Narbonne, one of France's most prestigious clubs, in 2015-16. On Friday a court found him guilty of paying tens of thousands of euros to former club officials for little or no service.
Elsom was convicted in absentia and given a five-year-prison sentence, according to French media. He recently told the Sunday Times newspaper that he was living in the Irish capital Dublin. In the interview with the outlet, published on 6 October, Elsom said he was coaching at the Catholic University School, a private school for boys in Dublin. He said planned to live in the city until December.
A sporting celebrity in Ireland, the 41-year-old, played for Leinster Rugby in the late 2000s and helped the team win the Heineken Cup, Europe's top club rugby tournament, in 2009. He also appeared 75 times for Australia's national team - nicknamed the Wallabies - between 2005 and 2011. After his retirement he was part of a consortium that bought RC Narbonne.
The French court convicted Elsom of abusing corporate assets and forging documents during his time as president of the club, local media reports say. A lawyer involved in the case, Patrick Tabet, is quoted by Ouest-France newspaper as saying that Elsom made a “completely unjustified” payment of €79,000 (£66,000) to a former coach and gave a monthly salary of €7,200 to an Australian resident who “never came to Narbonne”.
The club was placed into administration and relegated to lower leagues in 2018. The judge handed down a harsher prison term than the two years requested by prosecutors. Mr Tabet said the former Wallabies star was also ordered to pay back some €705,000 (£586,000).
The charges stem from Elsom’s time as president of Narbonne between 2015 and 2016. The former Wallabies captain was also found guilty of forgery and ordered to pay back €705,000. The president of the court handed down a sentence higher than the prosecutor’s request of two years in prison.
Elsom was accused of having paid €79,000 to a former coach when “nothing could justify it” and of hiring for about €7,200 a month an individual living in Australia who “never came to Narbonne” and “did not perform any service” for the club, the lawyer said. Narbonne, champions of France in 1936 and 1979, were placed in liquidation and relegated in 2018, after years of financial difficulties.
Elsom, who was appointed Wallabies captain in 2009 and held the position until shortly before the 2011 Rugby World Cup, was found guilty of forgery, use of forgery and misuse of corporate assets and sentenced to five years imprisonment by a court in Narbonne. Charges were brought following the 41-year-old's stint as president of French club Narbonne between 2015 and 2016. He was removed from his role and left behind what French newspaper Midi Olympique described as a “catastrophic financial situation”.
The 75 Test Wallaby was accused of embezzling around 79,000 Euros ($128,121AUD) before leaving the club, who were relegated to the third division of French rugby two years later. He was also accused of hiring for around 7,200 Euros ($11,676AUD) per month, an individual residing in Australia who “never came to Narbonne” and “did not perform any service” for the club, a lawyer involved in the case told AFP.
Elsom was interviewed just a week earlier in Ireland by The Sunday Times. He revealed he had returned to Dublin, where he would remain for the rest of the year, and had taken up a role coaching at the Catholic University School while he was recovering from an injury. “I’m recovering from an injury and this is a good place to be for it,” Elson said. “I had a break in work and though I should take it. I’m trying to avoid getting cut open again so I’ll just stay here and work on that.”
Elsom, a blindside flanker, played 75 Tests for the Wallabies between 2005 and 2011. His final appearance for the Wallabies was their 20-6 Rugby World Cup semifinal loss to the All Blacks in Auckland. Elsom played for the Waratahs across two stints (2003-08 and 2012) and also spent two seasons with the ACT Brumbies (2010-2011). He also enjoyed a successful spell with Irish province Leinster during his playing career.
During his playing days Elsom was not shy of controversies on the pitch with a notable incident nn March 2006, Elsom was suspended for four weeks for fighting with Namibian Prop Jaco Engels. In late 2008, Elsom retaliated against Connacht lock Mike McCarthy after he had been head-butted, throwing a punch at McCarthy’s head. Elsom would be yellow-carded for the incident, whilst McCarthy was shown a red card, given that he had already received a yellow card earlier in the fixture.
The arrest warrant comes after a French court sentenced Elsom in his absence to five years in prison for misuse of corporate assets, a lawyer involved in the case told AFP. The charges were brought after Elsom’s spell as president of French club Narbonne between 2015 and 2016.
Elsom, who played 75 times for the Wallabies, was also found guilty of forgery and ordered to pay back €705,000 (A$1.1m), the lawyer Patrick Tabet told AFP. The president of the court handed down a sentence higher than the prosecutor’s request of two years in prison.
