International arrest warrant out for former Wallaby Rocky Elsom after he is sentenced to two years jail in a French court

Rocky Elsom’s lawyer has declared his determination to appeal the two year jail sentence handed down to the former Wallabies captain by a French court sparking an international manhunt.

Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom breaks a tackle from Irish skipper Brian O'Driscoll as defence gives chase during Ireland v Australia international test match at Croke Park in Dublin, 15/11/2009.

An international arrest warrant has been issued for former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom, who was sentenced to two years jail in France for misusing corporate funds.

Elsom has been on the run for months while his trial played out in a French courtroom, over allegations he misspent funds while president of rugby club Narbonne.

He was found guilty in absentia on Friday, and because he did not attend court, French authorities have issued a warrant for his arrest.

The 42-year-old’s lawyer has declared he will continue the fight to clear his name.

Yann Le Bras told the Telegraph on Saturday: “I submitted evidence to the court showing that they could have informed Mr Elsom of the trail but chose not to.

“I comprehensively explained why Mr Elsom has no case to argue and I was happy that the most salacious charges were dismissed.

Rocky Elsom was sentenced to two years in a French jail.

“However, the charges of asset abuse were upheld and as this is completely unsatisfactory. We will appeal the decision and move for a dismissal of all charges.”

The former Wallabies skipper was also fined 100,000 Euros ($172,200) with half that amount suspended.

Elsom was president of Narbonne from 2015-16 and was accused of making unjustified salary advances to players.

Prosecutors had sought a three-year prison term for Elsom, while his lawyers fought for an acquittal after the former backrower was sentenced to a five-year jail term in a previous trial last October.

He had fled to Ireland by then to avoid arrest, but then hastily departed with only a backpack after learning Ireland has extradition agreements with France.

After his five-year prison sentence was handed down last October, Elsom told the Sunday Telegraph was innocent.

“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,” Elsom said. “There can be no further dispute about the club’s financial health.”

He said he’d not been told about the trial, which is why he did not attend court then.

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

Rocky Elsom is on the run with his whereabouts unknown following his sentencing in France.

He represented the Wallabies 75 times, and captained them from 2009-11.

From an undisclosed location, he told businessman Mark Bouris on a podcast that he was innocent.

“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.”

Elsom also claimed that he was on the run because his legal defence would cost far more if he was behind bars.

But with the latest ruling, Elsom becomes the target of an extraordinary international manhunt.

Originally published as International arrest warrant out for former Wallaby Rocky Elsom after he is sentenced to two years jail in a French court