Several players have been left out of the France squad to face Italy in their next Six Nations game after the French Rugby Federation said it had sanctioned those who went on a night out following the defeat by Scotland.
“Jacques Brunel has decided to exclude from that list the players who went out after the defeat in Scotland,” the FFR said. “With this inappropriate behaviour, they failed to respect their duty as international players.”
France rugby players questioned after Edinburgh sexual assault claim
Alexandre Lapandry, Arthur Iturria, Sekou Macalou, Anthony Belleau, Félix Lambey, Jonathan Danty, Rémi Lamerat, Louis Picamoles and Teddy Thomas, who scored two tries against Scotland, do not feature in the squad for the game on 23 February in Marseille. However, the FFR did not name the players sanctioned.
The FFR said on Monday that some players had been interviewed by Scottish authorities. Police Scotland said that “following an initial report of sexual assault in Edinburgh city centre during the early hours of 12 February, police conducted various lines of inquiry, including speaking to a number of potential witnesses. These inquiries have established that no crime has been committed.”
France lost their first two games, a 15-13 cliff hanger against Ireland in Paris and 32-26 to Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.
France squad Mathieu Babillot, Mathieu Bastareaud, Lionel Beauxis, Eddie Ben Arous, Hugo Bonneval, Yacouba Camara, Camille Chat, Henry Chavancy, Baptiste Couilloud, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Benjamin Fall, Gael Fickou, Paul Gabrillagues, Kélian Galletier, Cedate Gomes Sa, Rémy Grosso, Guilhem Guirado, Wenceslas Lauret, Bernard Le Roux, Maxime Machenaud, Geoffrey Palis, Adrien Pélissié, Jefferson Poirot, Dany Priso, Baptiste Serin, Rabah Slimani, Romain Taofifenua, Marco Tauleigne, François Trinh-Duc, Sébastien Vahaamahina, Virimi Vakatawa.