International arrest warrant issued for former Australia rugby captain Rocky Elsom, reports say

The warrant is related to his conduct as president of French club Narbonne in 2015 and 2016, media in France said.

The 41-year-old was found guilty of forgery and misuse of corporate assets by a court in Narbonne, a town in southern France, on Friday (October 11), according to news agency AFP, French sports daily L'Equipe and other media.

He is accused of embezzling an estimated €700,000 (around £586,000) before exiting the club, L'Equipe reported. The former flanker was reportedly given a five-year sentence in absentia on Friday.

As a blindside flanker, Elsom played 75 tests for Australia and captained the Wallabies from 2009 until just before the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He joined Leinster for the 2008-09 season and played a key role in the Irish province winning their first European Champions Cup, being named man of the match in the semi-final and final. In an interview with The Times published last Sunday (October 6), Elsom said he worked a rugby coach in Dublin for private secondary school Catholic University School.

He had been living in his native Australia, but told the publication he would be back in Dublin until December. Explaining his decision at the time he said: “I’m recovering from an injury and this is a good place to be for it.”