A former Waikato rugby player has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for the rape of a young woman in France in 2017. Rory Grice, 34, was one of three former FC Grenoble players found guilty of gang-raping a 20-year-old student in a hotel room in Bordeaux after a match.

Denis Coulson, 30, from Ireland and Loick Jammes, 30, from France were both given 14-year sentences for their part in the attack. Two other former Grenoble players, Chris Farrell, 31, from Ireland and Dylan Hayes, 30, from New Zealand, were found guilty of failing to prevent a crime. Farrell received a four-year sentence with two years suspended, while Hayes was given a two-year suspended sentence.

The incident occurred on 12 March 2017, when the victim, who was a student at the time, met the group of players in a bar in Bordeaux. She accompanied them to a nightclub before returning to their hotel in the early hours of the morning. The woman later told police that she woke up naked in a hotel room, surrounded by the players. A medical examination found that a crutch had been inserted into her vagina.

During the trial, the court heard that the woman had been drinking heavily and a toxicology report estimated her blood alcohol level to have been between 2.2 and 3 grams per litre at the time. The players claimed that the sexual activity was consensual, but the prosecution argued that the victim was too intoxicated to give consent.

Grice, Coulson and Jammes all admitted to having sexual contact with the woman but maintained that she had been a willing participant. A 55-second video filmed by Coulson was shown to the court as evidence. However, the judges ruled that the woman had been taken advantage of by the men.

The verdicts were delivered on Friday evening after the jury had deliberated for over nine hours. The case was heard behind closed doors at the request of the victim’s legal team. Lawyers for the three players convicted of rape have stated their intention to appeal the decision and will seek to have their clients released from custody pending the outcome.

Grice played for the All Blacks Sevens, and Waikato, before moving to France. He left Grenoble in June, 2017, and moved to Oyonnax Rugby, where he has played for the past seven years.

Provence Rugby, the club Jammes currently plays for, released a statement following the verdict expressing support for the victim and condemning all forms of violence. The club said it would consider taking further action depending on the outcome of the appeal. Oyonnax, the team that Grice and Farrell play for, has not yet commented on the case.

Two French rugby players, Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, have been cleared of aggravated rape charges by an Argentine court. The decision comes five months after the pair, both 21, were arrested in Mendoza, Argentina, just two days after making their international debuts for France in a victory over the Pumas.

The athletes were accused of raping a 39-year-old woman in their hotel room, but they consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the sexual encounter was consensual. After a thorough investigation, the judge in Mendoza dismissed the case against Auradou and Jegou, citing insufficient evidence to support the allegations.

Defence lawyer German Hnatow stated, “As we expected, the French players have been acquitted because the sexual act was consensual, meaning there was no crime and no doubt that they are innocent.” The court’s decision reinforced the defence’s faith in the justice system, with Hnatow adding, “There are many false accusations in terms of sexual crimes, in terms of gender violence, which cause harm.”

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) welcomed the court’s ruling with “relief and satisfaction” and confirmed that both players are now eligible for selection to the national team, provided their sporting performances warrant it. FFR President Florian Grill had previously stated that Auradou and Jegou would not play for France until the case was resolved.

Since returning to France in September, Auradou has played eight matches for his club, Pau, while Jegou has featured in four games for La Rochelle, even scoring a try in the Champions Cup victory over Bath. The FFR emphasized that these events serve as a reminder of the need to create new conditions to prevent and avoid risky behaviour in high-level rugby and to train responsible and exemplary players.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Natacha Romano, has indicated that her client will appeal the court’s decision, calling it “harmful, unfounded, and incomplete.” Romano explained any inconsistencies in the woman’s account as a result of the “shock and extreme stress” she experienced, noting that physical examinations revealed injuries that the plaintiff claimed were related to the alleged assault.

While the dismissal of the charges against Auradou and Jegou marks the end of a challenging period for French rugby, the FFR remains committed to implementing a reinforced rugby performance plan that aims to create a new framework for player conduct, drawing inspiration from the thousands of volunteers and amateur clubs who work tirelessly to foster social ties and play an educational and civic role within the sport.

France and Toulon fullback Melvyn Jaminet has been suspended for 26 weeks by the French Rugby Federation (FFR) following a disciplinary hearing over a racist video he posted on social media during France’s tour of Argentina in July.

The FFR’s disciplinary committee initially handed down a 34-week suspension but allowed for eight weeks to be substituted by community service activities. In an official statement, the FFR explained:

“At the conclusion of the FFR Disciplinary Council held today, it was determined that Melvyn Jaminet had ‘undermined the best interests of rugby’. Consequently, the following decision was made: a suspension for a period of 34 weeks, applying from the notification of the complete decision.

Eight of the thirty-four weeks of suspension may nevertheless be substituted by activities of general interest for the benefit of the FFR. These consist of carrying out:

• 6 prevention actions relating to the dangers linked to alcohol and social networks for a public identified by the FFR such as the French youth teams or trainees from training centres;
• 6 actions promoting the values of sport relating to the fight against discrimination among rugby schools.

Furthermore, the player will have to pay a financial penalty of 30,000 euros.”

The incident occurred on July 7th when Jaminet shared a video on his Instagram account in which he was heard making racist comments. The FFR swiftly condemned the comments and immediately removed Jaminet from the France squad, arranging for his return to France.

During the disciplinary hearing, which took place via video conference, Jaminet and his lawyer, Carlo Alberto Brusa, argued that the video was intended for a private circle of friends. However, the disciplinary committee found that Jaminet had “undermined the best interests of rugby” and opted for a severe punishment.

This suspension mirrors the one handed to Ludovic Radosavljevic two years ago for racist comments made during a match. Jaminet’s ban, if it starts immediately, would see him unavailable until January, missing France’s autumn internationals but potentially being eligible for the 2025 Six Nations.

Toulon, Jaminet’s club, has not yet announced any additional sanctions. The club previously stated its intention to “accompany” the player in his “redemption,” suggesting they may not terminate his contract, which runs until 2028.

The FFR added in their statement: “This decision may be appealed by the player to the Federal Appeal Commission within 7 days from the date on which it was notified.”

This incident was part of a series of controversies that marred France’s summer tour. In addition to Jaminet’s racist video, two French players, Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, were arrested in Argentina on allegations of sexual assault. These off-field incidents overshadowed France’s on-field performances, which included a series split with Argentina and a victory over Uruguay.