Ex-Wallabies star Rocky Elsom is set to learn his fate as fresh twist emerges after he was sentenced to five years in jail by a French court

Rocky Elsom is reportedly set to learn his fate after the Wallabies star was alleged to have embezzled funds during his time working as the president of Narbonne Rugby Club in France.

The 41-year-old, who won 75 caps for Australia, was sentenced in absentia to a five-year prison sentence in October for the alleged misuse of corporate funds while Elsom was in charge at the French club between 2015 and 2016.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, a French prosecutor has requested the prison sentence be reduced to three years with a judgement now set to be made on March 14.

During a hearing on Friday at Narbonne Criminal Court, a new arrest warrant and a fine totalling $1,040,602.50 was also issued against Elsom.

His whereabouts are unknown and he was not present at the hearing in France last week but is understood to have been represented by his lawyer Yann le Bras, who is fighting the allegations against the former back-rower.

Le Bras has also previously scrutinised ‘discrepancies’ in the initial court proceedings that saw the former Waratah’s star be slapped with a five-year prison sentence.

The former Leinster back-row is set to learn his fate in a hearing on March 14 where a French prosecutor has argued that Elsom’s five-year sentence is cut to three-years 

The former Leinster star had claimed earlier this month that the release of fresh evidence in the form of Narbonne’s financial documents could help clear his name

Earlier this month, Elsom had claimed the release of fresh evidence in the form of Narbonne’s financial documents could help him clear his name and called for the release of the club’s financial documents from the 2017-18 financial year.

‘I received the club with a $2.3m (€1.4m) to $3.29 (€2m) hole in the balance sheet and almost no capital and they received the club with a healthy balance sheet and over one million euros in available capital,’ Elsom, who made 75 international appearances for Australia said.

‘There can be no further dispute about the club’s financial health.’

The former rugby star has also expressed concerns that should he return to France to defend himself he would likely be placed in custody before the hearing.

In a statement, Le Bras is hoping that Elsom will be acquitted.

‘First of all, I requested that the arrest warrant and the accusation act be declared null and void for flagrant disregard of elementary procedural rules,’ Le Bras said in a statement.

‘On the merits, the investigation was focused on expenses, without any mention of income or contractual obligations. 

‘There is no asset abuse in this case, and I hope that the court will acquit Mr Elsom, who neither stole nor plundered this club during the 10 months he was in office before a change of governance.

‘He essentially paid salaries due to players …Everything needs to be reviewed and analysed by the court.’