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France's Jegou makes rugby training return despite rape allegation / Photo: © AFP/File
France's Jegou makes rugby training return despite rape allegation
France back-rower Oscar Jegou has returned to training with La Rochelle despite being accused of aggravated rape in Argentina, the rugby club's assistant coach Sebastien Boboul said on Thursday.
Jegou and Les Bleus team-mate Hugo Auradou returned to France from South America earlier this month after a court allowed the 21-year-olds to fly home pending the conclusion of their case.
The pair were arrested in July after a 39-year-old woman alleged they viciously assaulted her in a hotel room hours after winning their first caps against the Pumas in Mendoza.
"Oscar is back training," Boboul told reporters.
"He feels good.
"People talk a lot about what happened, I'm just happy that he's back with us at the training ground," he added.
Lock Auradou took part in training with Pau two weeks ago but no date for their first games back has been set.
According to legal sources, the investigation surrounding the pair is close to finishing after a psychological report on the woman shows a series of inconsistencies and contradictions.
The case against them could be dismissed as early as next week.
The three-match tour of South America was originally marred after full-back Melvyn Jaminet was sent home for making racist remarks on social media.
At the start of last season, flanker Jegou was suspended for a month after testing positive for cocaine.
The incidents have led to the French Rugby Federation planning on a "zero tolerance" policy and some leading clubs considering weekly drug testing of players.
O. Larsen--BTZ
