Former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom handed two-year jail sentence in France

  • Former Narbonne president has faced financial charges
  • Elsom not in court and his whereabouts remain unknown

The former Australia rugby union captain Rocky Elsom was sentenced to two years in prison by a French court on Friday, for misusing corporate assets during his time as the club president of Narbonne.

Elsom was also fined €100,000 (A$109,000) with half of that sum suspended. The 42-year-old did not appear in court; his whereabouts are currently unknown and a French arrest warrant has been issued against him.

Having taken charge of the southern French club Narbonne from 2015-16, Elsom went on trial for embezzling club funds by making unjustified expenditures to pay a coach or a general manager who was living in Australia at the time.

Continue reading...

Joe Schmidt to stand down as Wallabies coach after Rugby Championship

  • Huge blow for Rugby Australia before home World Cup
  • New Zealander to face All Blacks for last match in charge

Joe Schmidt will step down as Wallabies coach at the end of this year’s Rugby Championship in a blow to Australia’s hopes in the 2027 World Cup.

The New Zealander confirmed on Thursday he would extend his contract beyond the British and Irish Lions tour, but won’t continue through to the showpiece tournament on home soil. His last Test in charge will be against the All Blacks in Perth on 4 October.

Continue reading...

Sydney to host 2027 Rugby World Cup final as Melbourne settles for last-16 games

  • Semi-finals and third-place playoff also to be played in Sydney
  • Melbourne to host nine matches in total; opener to be played in Perth

The eyes of the rugby world will again fall on Sydney after it was chosen to host the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup final, 24 years after the Wallabies’ heartbreaking defeat to England at the city’s Olympic Stadium.

Accor Stadium at Homebush, with a capacity of 82,000, will again host the decider as well as the semi-finals, the third-place playoff and two quarter-finals at the 11th edition of the global showpiece, which will take place in Australia for the first time since 2003.

Continue reading...