Former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom handed two-year prison sentence

An international manhunt is underway after a former Wallabies captain was given a prison sentence while his location is unknown.

Former Australia rugby union captain Rocky Elsom was handed a two-year prison sentence by a French court on Friday after being found guilty of misusing corporate funds.

The 42-year-old was also fined 100,000 euros (A$172,000) — half of which was suspended — and ordered to pay 240,000 euros (A$414,000) compensation to the liquidator of the Narbonne rugby club where he was president between 2015 and 2016.

Former flanker Elsom, capped 75 times by the Wallabies, was convicted in his absence but was made the subject of an international arrest warrant.

Elsom has fled France and been on the run for months over allegations he misspent funds while he was president of the Narbonne club.

Elsom’s lawyer Yann Le Bras said that he would appeal the sentence.

“I have submitted to the court both serious procedural issues and evidence that would allow Rocky Elsom to be acquitted,” he told AFP.

Prosecutors had demanded a three-year prison sentence and a 630,000 euro fine (A$1.087 million) after facing trial for the second time.

Former Wallaby Rocky Elsom has been handed a two-year prison sentence. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO

Rocky Elsom played for the Wallabies on 75 occasions.

He had initially been handed a five-year sentence last year but was retried on appeal.

French champions in 1936 and 1979, Narbonne were placed in receivership and relegated in 2018, after years of financial difficulties.

“He was found guilty of squandering the club’s funds and ordered to pay a substantial sum in compensation for his losses,” Patrick Tabet, the club’s liquidation lawyer, told AFP.

Elsom told Australian media last year that he had been “scapegoated” for mismanagement of the club after he left, claiming Narbonne were successful on and off the field during his tenure.

Speaking from an undisclosed location last year, Elsom told businessman Mark Bouris’ podcast he maintained his innocence.

“I did nothing wrong, there are no victims,” Elsom said.

“I have already been convicted (in absentia) but at no stage was I given the opportunity to defend myself.”

Rocky Elsom played for the Wallabies and the NSW Waratahs.

Elsom told the Sunday Telegraph after the five-year prison sentence was handed down last October: “I received the club with a 1.4 to 2 million euro hole in the balance sheet and almost no capital and they received the club with a healthy balance sheet and over one million euro in available capital.

“There can be no further dispute about the club’s financial health.

“If I return to France I will likely be arrested and placed in custody until the case is thrown out,” Elsom said.

Originally published as Former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom handed two-year prison sentence