France
captain Thierry Dusautoir has pleaded for leniency on
behalf of team-mate Mathieu Bastareaud, who was this
week told he
could face a three-year international
ban.
Dusautoir told L’Equipe that he believed the troubled
centre had been “sufficiently punished” following the outcry
that greeted revelations that Bastareaud had lied about
being mugged while on tour with France in New Zealand.
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The high
profile episode led to the country’s two Prime Ministers
exchanging apologies and caused a media frenzy around the
talented 20-year-old. Max Guazzini, president of Stade
Francais – where Bastareaud plays - subsequently claimed the
young centre had attempted suicide after returning to
France, leading to the player being admitted to a
psychiatric hospital.
Bastareaud has recently returned to training with Stade, but
the results of an investigation into the affair by the
Federation Francaise de Rugby (FFR) has yet to announce its
findings. Earlier this week Francois Alguacil, head of the
FFR’s disciplinary committee, said he believed the player
would face an international ban of between one and three
years, leading Dusautoir – who was captain on the tour – to
ask for leniency.
“He
lied, I think he has been sufficiently punished for that,”
said the Stade Toulousain flanker. “This affair has been
taken out of proportion. It would be good if we left it
there,” he added.
Dusautoir denied being with Bastareaud when the player
returned to his Wellington hotel in the early hours of June
21 – when he claimed he was mugged – and said it was now
time to move on.
“I am a
little sad for him [Bastareaud] because he is someone who is
gentle and I am sorry something happened to him in New
Zealand. I also think that in saying what he said, he was
far from imagining the consequences of this lie and that he
was overtaken by events,” said Dusautoir.
Elsewhere, Castres’ Tongan flanker Lei Tomiki is
returning to Australia after four years in France to take up
a contract with the Queensland Reds. The 26-year-old, who
also played for RC Narbonne, has been signed to replace
Daniel Braid, who has ruptured his Achilles tendon.
And sacked Wallaby Lote Tuqiri has
also poured scorn on reports he was
set to sign with Top 14 side Bayonne,
saying he would prefer to remain in Australia instead.
Tuqiri
is currently challenging the ARU’s decision to terminate his
national contract and told Australian television he was
content to stay put. “My family is quite settled here now,
we like Sydney and we like Australia, we don’t really want
to move and everything else and uproot,” he said. The
67-Test veteran also said he was mulling over a return to
rugby league, adding that he was prepared to take a pay cut
if necessary.
Meanwhile, the player’s legal team are trying to prevent
public disclosure of the documents detailing why he was
sacked by the ARU.
Montauban have
snapped up former Clermont Auvergne hooker Mirko Lozupone,
who was without a club after his contract wasn’t renewed.
The Top 14 club has also dismissed director general Tarcisse
Romer, replacing him with interim appointment of Jacques
Boyer.
