It’s the kind of story you’d expect from an old Outback movie: Wallaby on the Run.
Rocky Elsom couldn’t reveal his location when he took my call Tuesday night, but he’s living out of a backpack with the help of a couple of friends.
A surprise arrest warrant was issued last month for the former Australia captain, 41, who has been sentenced in absentia to five years in French prison for forgery and embezzlement during his time as president of the Narbonne club.
The charges include backdating contracts and illegal transfers of funds, and Elsom was ordered to pay more than €700,000 (£583,000). It is a complex case and many believe Elsom is being used as a scapegoat after the club went into administration in 2018.
When gardai tried to locate him last month, Elsom was living in Dublin and coaching rugby at Catholic University School, but has been in hiding since.
An arrest warrant was issued for former Australia captain Rocky Elsom last month.
The former defender has been sentenced in absentia to five years in French prison for forgery and embezzlement during his time at French club Narbonne.
The charges include backdating contracts and illegal transfers of funds, and Elsom was ordered to pay more than €700,000 (£583,000).
“As soon as I saw the news I packed my bags straight away,” Elsom, who earned 75 caps for the Wallabies and won the 2009 Heineken Cup with Leinster, told Mail Sport. ‘I was packing my bags when people called me to tell me what they had read.
“I was only in Dublin for six weeks. I was there on a holiday visa. I left all my things behind. When I left I only carried a backpack, two shirts and a toiletry bag.
‘It’s unusual to think that one day you wake up and are found guilty of something and sentenced to prison without having any idea you were on trial. It doesn’t seem like there was any genuine attempt to contact me before.
A few weeks earlier, Elsom had been interviewed by a newspaper about his coaching work in Ireland.
“In France, I guess they would say they’ve been trying to contact me for eight years,” he said. ‘But the Gardai were able to do so within an hour of obtaining the extradition. They got my phone number.
You would have to ask them how they got it, but the newspaper article would have been a clear clue, without a doubt. The way they got my home address and my kids’ phone numbers is a little different, but it certainly didn’t take them long.
‘They came to CUS, they came to my house and when they couldn’t find me, they called me and said, ‘If you’re in Ireland, we’ll bring you.’ I said, ‘That’s good, I’m not in Ireland.'”
Elsom did not want to clarify whether he left the country by plane, car or boat. Crossing the border into Northern Ireland would have been the quickest option.
When gardai attempted to locate him last month, Elsom was living in Dublin and coaching rugby at Catholic University School.
The flanker played for several clubs, including Leinster, and won the Heineken Cup with the Irish team in 2009.
He recently worked as a builder, but relies on his friends and savings.
“It’s almost impossible for me to generate income right now,” he said. “That might change in the future, but now it’s understandable that it’s harder for me to generate income while I’m under a warrant and trying to lay low.
“It seems pretty suspicious if someone hides their face, so I don’t go out much.” If you see someone hiding their face, it will probably draw more attention. I meet people where I am, so it’s not like I’m in an igloo.
‘Staying in a hotel would be a little more worrying as they would have my name on the room. I’ve got to try and get some exercise when I can and some sun because this could last a while.’
Before the trial, the only attempt to contact him was through letters sent to an unused storage unit in Sydney.
‘Financially, it’s incredibly restrictive. But there are also expenses, especially legal expenses,” he said. ‘You can rack up a legal bill of 10,000 euros quite easily if your lawyer has to track everything himself and I don’t have access to a computer.
‘I just have to use all the information I can get from the court and gather the documents where I am to prepare a case. It was eight years ago and I don’t have full access to the club.
“It’s about trying to get back in touch with the club and its professionals who were in charge of the accounts and are in possession of some of the information that could exonerate me.”
Elsom revealed that he recently worked as a builder, but relies on his friends and savings for money.
Elsom is now trying to clear his name and claimed there are “quite a few things that didn’t add up” regarding the case against him.
He added: “There are quite a few things that don’t add up. There was no mismanagement. The legal case is so fragile that it is obvious that they were looking for the crime or something to throw mud before looking for anything else.
‘They had their trial without me. I think it’s an attempt to rewrite the history of 2018 when they changed coaches mid-season. That coach went to the bottom team in the league and had a phenomenal winning streak.
“At the same time, Narbonne won something like one game in 15. That was the biggest losing streak they had ever had and financially it was mismanaged because at the end of the season they were put into administration.
“The most important thing, I suppose, is that I don’t think the allegations can prove that any harm has been done to the club.”
The case continues.
British and Irish Lions present new jersey
Mike Ashley’s son-in-law Michael Murray was among those invited to the unveiling of the 2025 British and Irish Lions jersey on Wednesday morning.
The event took place on Oxford Street at the flannels flagship store, which is owned by Ashley’s Fraser Group empire along with Sports Direct.
The goody bags handed out to guests reflected Ashley’s cost-cutting initiatives, with Australian hats and a notepad, instead of the £84 t-shirt that had been handed out before previous tours.
The British and Irish Lions have revealed their new kit for their 2025 tour of Australia
The event was held on Oxford Street at the flagship flannel store and was attended by a number of former Lions.
England’s surprising new ‘sleep yoga’ training plan
England players have been using ‘sleep yoga’ to prepare for Saturday’s game against the Wallabies.
Flanker Tom Curry has been one of the biggest fans of the sessions, led by sports therapist Becky Behan in the afternoons at Pennyhill Park.
Sleep yoga is a meditative exercise that combines yoga and sleep science, and typically includes relaxation postures and breathing techniques.
Could another England star jump ship and head to France?
Harlequins stalwart flanker Will Evans is the latest player linked with a departure from the club at the end of the season.
Evans is understood to be exploring a move to France’s ProD2 when his contract expires.
Quins face a major exodus, with center Lennox Anyanwu and young hooker Nathan Jibulu wanted elsewhere.
Veterans Danny Care and Joe Marler are set to retire, while another former England international, Joe Launchbury, is out of contract.
England have been using ‘sleep yoga’ to prepare for Saturday’s match against Australia
Harlequins could face a major exodus of players next year, with Will Evans (centre) linked with a move to France.
Promising young center Lennox Anyanwu (pictured) could also leave the London club
Lions bosses expect open match in Dublin
Final negotiations are underway over a broadcast deal for the Lions’ opening match against Argentina in Dublin next year, with the match not part of the Sky Sports package for the tour of Australia.
Lions bosses hope to broadcast the match on free-to-air television, having agreed a deal with Channel 4 for their match against Japan ahead of the 2021 tour of South Africa.