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Fijian rugby player who assaulted woman in France facing deportation

(Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

A young Fijian rugby player has been sentenced to three months in prison after being found guilty of assault in France.

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Jolame Lawebuka, 20, admitted to assaulting a 40-year-old woman in the steets of Nevers after leaving a nightclub in the early hours of the morning of September 29th in what was described as a violent attack.

Lawebuka – a centre – had been living in France since joining Pro D2 side USON Nevers Rugby.

The player was also banned from living in France for two years.

Lawebuka told the judge that he understood his visa was going to be withdrawn and that he would be forced to leave the territory at the end of his incarceration.

The Fijian is not the only rugby player to appear in a French courtroom this season.

In September former England international Steffon Armitage was found guilty of sexual assault in Pau.

The back-row was accused of inappropriately touching a 19-year-old woman in bar following a night of drinking in the French town.

Armitage was handed a suspended six-month jail sentence and ordered to pay €5,000.

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Armitage had been to due to join Major League Rugby franchise The San Diego Legion, but the club cancelled his contract following his conviction.

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H
Hellhound 28 minutes ago
France put World Cup pain behind them with unbeaten run in November

France is starting to look like they are finally over their WC headache, although they were lucky that NZ had a very bad game. The Argies as usual is one game good, the next bad. If they can sort that out and be more consistent, they could become contenders for the WC.


NZ, Argentina (if they are more consistent), and now the Wallabies too is in an upward curve (can they be consistent?), as well as Fiji(as inconsistent as Argentina) looks like possible contenders. The Boks will be as usual a huge threat to defend their title. Things are looking up for the South, so the North should rightfully beware of the Southern Hemisphere threat.


With the French looking dangerous, the English with their close runs (mostly a mindset problem) and the Scottish seems to be the NH main contenders. The Irish is good, but not excellent anymore. They are more overbearing and with their glory days mostly gone with old players hanging on by a thread, by 2027 if they don't start adding in the younger players, they won't make it past yet another WC Quarter final. The problem is that their youngsters, while good is nothing special.


That is just 8 teams without the Irish that can become real WC contenders. Lots of hickups to be sorted still for these teams, excluding the Boks to become a threat. Make no mistake, the top Tier is much closer than people realise and the 2027 WC will be a really great WC, possibly the best contended WC ever.

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