The international arrest warrant for former Leinster flanker Rocky Elsom was a wholly unexpected story in Irish sports spheres of recent weeks.
Elsom was sentenced in absentia in France for misuse of corporate assets during his time as president of Narbonne Rugby Club, where he had finished his career as a player. The guilty verdict led to Elsom being sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay a sum over €700,000.
An international arrest warrant was issued against Elsom, with the accusations against the 41-year-old including forgery, backdating contracts, and making unauthorised salary advancements during his tenure at Narbonne.
Elsom departed Leinster in the summer of 2009 after starring in their maiden Heineken Cup triumph but returned to Ireland mere months ago to begin a role as a coach at CUS in Dublin City Centre. However, the international arrest warrant led to Gardaí tracking down the Aussie's whereabouts - prompting Elsom to flee the country.
His whereabouts are currently unknown, but the former flanker continues to push for details of his case to be made public, raising issue with the process which saw him convicted in absentia in France. Elsom alleges that he had not been notified of a trial taking place, removing his right to defend himself.
Elsom has carried out a series of interviews with media both at home in Australia as well as in Ireland, and the latest of those dropped on Tuesday morning with the Second Captains podcast.
Speaking to the Second Captains crew, Elsom revealed the details of his final phone call with the Gardaí as he fled the country.
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Rocky Elsom shares details of his departure from Ireland
23 May 2009; Leinster's injured out-half Felipe Contepomi celebrates with from left Rocky Elsom, Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy after the game. Heineken Cup Final, Leinster v Leicester Tigers, Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland. Picture credit: Matt Browne / SPORTSFILE
Speaking on Tuesday's Second Captains podcast, Rocky Elsom explained why he had decided to return to Ireland this summer after 15 years away.
I got to work with CUS - I think that was [mentioned] in an article with the Sunday Times. It was a small job but I wanted to get back into rugby, I also like Dublin, and I had a break with work back in Australia.
There was a job I had in Australia that had a two-month break so it suited me to get over there.
I was having [injury] trouble on construction sites and if I had kept going in that way I would have had more trouble. Dublin is nice and flat...but also, I like the place - there are other flat places around the world but I like it there.
There was also a bit for me to do there in CUS. That was good, the boys were good, a lot of good guys there. The school doesn't have a big rugby programme so they're not a big rugby school but, in a way, that was a nice part of it. You had a lot of guys just doing their best. I enjoyed it anyway - I'm not sure how the boys liked it but I liked it!
Elsom was working in CUS on a voluntary basis, and was only ever planning to stay for another month or so - but his departure was rapidly accelerated by the threat of extradition to France.
His current whereabouts are unknown, and he explained the Garda process that had led to him suddenly fleeing Ireland.
"The conviction came out on [the] Friday," Elsom says, "I had Monday there and then I left [on] Tuesday. Don't quote me on that but I think that's it.
"Yeah [the Gardaí] did [make contact]. I had some legal advice that it might take between two and six weeks to get the extradition notice over, just because of bureaucracy or whatever. It took them one day.
"From then, they came to CUS, they came to my home and, when they couldn't find me, they called me. They said, 'If you're in Ireland, we're gonna bring you in.'
"I said, 'That's good, I'm not in Ireland.'"
The entire affair is a crazy story involving the former Leinster star.
Across several interviews this week, Rocky Elsom has acknowledged that he did indeed make some of the transactions which led to his transaction in French court. However, he has also claimed that he would have been able to defend himself if given a chance in court, suggesting that the club was not "disadvantaged" by those alleged misdoings. Elsom has also repeatedly claimed that he was not invited to defend himself.
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