Rocky Elsom: Former Australia Rugby Captain Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Corporate Misconduct

Former Australia rugby union captain Rocky Elsom has been handed a two-year prison sentence after being found guilty of misusing corporate assets during his time as president of the French rugby club Narbonne. The 42-year-old, who also received a fine of 100,000 euros (£84,141) with half of the amount suspended, was convicted in absentia by a French court. An international arrest warrant has been issued as his current whereabouts remain unknown.

Elsom, who earned 75 caps for Australia and won the Heineken Cup with Leinster in 2009, took charge of Narbonne in the 2015-16 season. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Initially sentenced to five years in prison in October 2024, Elsom was retried following an appeal. During the retrial, the forgery charges were dropped, but he was ordered to pay 219,760 euros (£184,904) in compensation to the club's liquidator.

The public prosecutor had sought a three-year prison term and a 630,000 euros (£529,411) fine for Elsom. Narbonne, a club with a storied history including two French rugby championships and three runner-up finishes, went into liquidation in 2018 and now competes in the third-tier Federale league.

Elsom, a blindside flanker, captained the Wallabies from 2009 to 2011 and made his international debut in 2005. He was instrumental in Leinster's 2009 Heineken Cup victory, earning the man of the match title alongside Irish legends Johnny Sexton and Brian O'Driscoll. Since August 2024, Elsom had been residing in Ireland but fled the country following the issuance of an arrest warrant last year.

This case highlights the legal and ethical challenges faced by sports administrators and the consequences of corporate misconduct in the world of professional rugby.