Rocky Elsom Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Rocky Elsom, the former captain of Australia's rugby union team, has been sentenced to five years in prison by a French court for misusing corporate assets while serving as president of the rugby club Narbonne from 2015 to 2016. The court found him guilty of forgery and the misuse of corporate assets, leading to an international arrest warrant issued for him after he was convicted in absentia. Elsom, who maintains his innocence, claims he was not notified of the court proceedings and described the situation as a 'clear perversion of justice'. In addition to his prison sentence, he has been ordered to repay €700,000 (approximately $761,000) for misappropriated funds. Elsom has retained a lawyer to appeal the conviction, which he argues was reached without allowing him to defend himself. His career included 75 test caps for the Wallabies and a successful stint with the Irish club Leinster, and he has recently been involved in coaching in Dublin.