Brian O’Driscoll, the former captain of the Irish rugby team, once declared that Rocky Elsom was the finest player he has ever had the chance to compete alongside. He also credited Rocky for his initial victory in the European Rugby Champions Cup in 2009. Elsom, an ex-Australian rugby player who won the Heineken Cup with Leinster, has recently been making headlines due to non-sporting activities.
Currently, Elsom, aged 41, resides in Dublin and is a rugby coach. He previously played 75 Test matches for the Wallabies. Recently, he was found guilty by a French court and sentenced to five years in prison in absentia. This comes after an international arrest warrant was issued against him for forgery, misuse of corporate assets and similar charges during his presidency of Narbonne, a rugby club in Southern France, from 2015 to 2016.
Elsom was a player for the aforementioned French club during the 2013-14 season. He is now accused of swindling €705,000 from the club as reported by French press. He’s been compared to Leonardo da Vinci by an Australian reporter, for his versatile skillset on the field.
Elsom’s legal troubles came to light, a day before the Irish rugby titans, Leinster and Munster, battled against each other at Dublin’s Croke Park. The stadium is known to have borne witness to some of Elsom’s most remarkable past performances.
In addition to the forgery accusations, Patrick Tabet, a lawyer connected to the matter, expressed to AFP that Elsom is suspected of paying €79,000 to an ex-coach with no justification. He is also alleged to have transferred €7,200 per month to someone living in Australia who offered no services to the club in Narbonne. In light of these allegations, the French prosecutor requested a two-year jail sentence for Elsom. However, the criminal court’s president sentenced him to five years in prison and issued an international arrest warrant.
Rocky Elsom, the renowned Australian rugby player, has recently taken on a new chapter in his life, returning to the vibrant city of Dublin in Ireland. Having returned from his restorative break from injuries, Elsom now resides in the Rathmines neighbourhood. He is said to be coaching rugby at Catholic University School in the heart of the city. This follows a hiatus from his construction business in Noosa, an Australian beach town on the Sunshine Coast, with plans to extend his Dublin stay until December.
Elsom’s influence on the rugby field in his heyday was immense. Ascending to the international arena in 2005, he captained the Wallabies from 2009 until just before the 2011 Rugby World Cup challenged his capabilities.
His memorable 2009 season with Leinster saw him play 20 games, with 13 outstanding man-of-the-match titles, six of which were achieved in the nine games of the Heineken Cup. His accolades that season included the best player award in both the semi-final against Munster at Croke Park, and the final victory against the Leicester Tigers at Murrayfield. Unsurprisingly, he was never benched during a Leinster game, an almost impossible feat.
A towering figure at six-foot-six, Elsom was much more than his physique. His athleticism and deep understanding of rugby made him a force to reckon with, carving out a significant space for him both on the offensive and defensive line.
Off-pitch, the ex- Wallabies captain led a quieter life. In an attempt to maintain his best condition when joining Leinster after playing a full season in Australia, Elsom undertook less intensive training than his teammates. None around him took issue with this, given his tremendous playing prowess every Saturday.
His character and performance on the field have also attracted praise from teammates over the years. One such commendation is noted from ex-Leinster outhalf Felipe Conteponi, who went on to become the head coach of Argentina, calling Elsom a remarkable player, distinct from the norm. Elsom’s former Leinster teammate and Ireland and Lions centre, O’Driscoll, further justified his unusual training schedule. He noted that regardless of Elsom’s reduced presence during week training, his performances never faltered during games, highlighting his sustained excellence.
O’Driscoll confessed his potential failure in noticing the minor actions off the field, but applauded the explicit communication demonstrated on the pitch. In essence, the man’s actions spoke volumes and didn’t necessitate verbose interaction. He revered him as one of the most stable individuals he has interacted with, a fact that is inspirational on its own. Yet, an impending legal suit in France looms, potentially casting a dark shadow over an illustrious sportsmanship career.