Bastien Chalureau’s call-up casts shadow over France's World Cup

The Montpellier man was sentenced to six months in prison in 2020 for a racially motivated assault on two other rugby players in the streets of Toulouse

Wed, 06 Sep, 2023 - 09:16

Raphaël Jucobin

The player who has dominated the headlines in the lead-up to France’s home World Cup campaign hasn’t been the captain and star man, Antoine Dupont, nor has it been prolific try scorer Damian Penaud. Instead it’s the replacement second-row Bastien Chalureau who is at the centre of attention as his legal issues were brought back to the surface after he replaced the injured Paul Willemse last week.

The Montpellier man was sentenced to six months in prison in 2020 for a racially motivated assault on two other rugby players in the streets of Toulouse, where he was playing at the time. Chalureau has admitted to the attack but denies the racist character of the incident and has appealed against that aspect of the ruling. The next hearing will be in November, after the end of the tournament.