Arizona Tribune - France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case

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France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case / Photo: Valentine CHAPUIS - AFP

France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case

SPORTS 05.10.2024

France lock Hugo Auradou was whistled off the pitch as his Pau side lost 11-10 to Perpignan in the French Top 14 on Saturday in his first game since being accused of rape in Argentina.

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Auradou, 21, was arrested along with La Rochelle flanker Oscar Jegou in July after winning their first caps for France against the Pumas in Mendoza.

The pair deny the accusation and were allowed to return home in September.

On Friday, Argentine prosecutors recommended dismissing the rape charges against the two forwards.

In Perpignan, Auradou started the game and his first real contribution came as he caught a 10th minute lineout five metres from the Perpignan line but Pau were penalised and the hosts cleared.

Seven minutes later, he had his first touch in open play but was tackled into touch by Perpignan's English prop Kieran Brookes.

With six minutes to go Auradou was replaced by Thomas Jolmes with the traditionally vocal Perpignan crowd hissing from the stands.

With Auradou off the field, the home side's Antoine Aucagne kicked an 84th minute to claim victory.

Earlier, Fiji winger Vinaya Habosi scored as Racing 92 beat promoted Vannes 27-24, three weeks after he was arrested following allegations of domestic violence.

Habosi's first-half try came less than three weeks after an argument with his wife in which, witnesses said, he pushed and hit his partner, which the victim confirmed to the police at the time.

The 24-year-old has been disciplined by the Parisian club and ordered to attend a domestic violence course.

A second win in five games this season reduced the pressure on Racing's coach in ex-England and Leinster boss Stuart Lancaster.

Vannes, in their maiden top-flight season, stay bottom after their fourth defeat of the campaign.

Elsewhere, Bordeaux-Begles stayed top of the table, edging Bayonne 30-27. Jegou's La Rochelle beat Lyon 43-22 but the back-rower has yet to make his playing return despite training with the two-time Champions Cup winners.

Later on Saturday, Antoine Dupont's former side Castres welcome the superstar scrum-half's current club Toulouse but the 27-year-old is absent.

He has spent the final week of his post-Olympic gold medal holidays in the United States where he met Argentina football icon Lionel Messi in Miami.

D.Lopez--AT

Arizona Tribune - France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case

France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case

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