International rugby winger remains in prison following arrest
Rugby NewsSunday, 23 January 2022 at 09:04
Blake Ferguson yet to leave Japan jail almost a month after 'drugs arrest'.
The 31-year-old Australian, who was a team-mate of Wales international Jake Ball, is alleged to have been found in possession of cocaine following his arrest on December 30.
the arrest led to the termination of his contract before he had a chance to play a minute of competitive rugby, leading to doubts as to whether any union outfit will take him on.
Fox Sports reported Ferguson's management team are hard at work attempting to get the New South Walian home, but he remains behind bars more than three weeks following his arrest.
Japanese authorities take a no-tolerance approach when it comes to drug charges, with drug possession charges in Japan carrying a maximum of up to five years in prison.
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5 rugby stars who went to prison and where they were locked up
Here, RUCK looks at five players who fell foul of the law and the events that occurred in their lives that sent them into prison.
#1. Jarryd Hayne (Fiji Sevens)
Former Fiji Sevens player Hayne was jailed for five years and nine months for sexual assault back in May 2021.
Last March, a jury found 33-year-old Hayne guilty of attacking a 26-year-old woman in her home in 2018.
He will have to serve a minimum of three years and eight months before being eligible for parole.
#2. Rhian Oakes (Wales women)
The former Wales woman international was jailed for seven years after being convicted of sexual activity with an underage girl.
She had been working as school's sports coach in south Wales in 2010 when she started a relationship with the pupil.
#3. Tony Neary (England)
The England international, who won 43 caps between 1971 and 1980, was jailed for theft in February 1998 after admitting stealing money from a trust fund of millionaire friend John Gorna. After his release, he commented on living in London since his release - recently said: "I don't follow rugby any more, I'm just looking to get on with my life."
#4. Steven Pokere (New Zealand)
From 1981 to 1985, he played 39 matches for the All Blacks. But in 2005, Pokere was sentenced to two and a half years in jail for conspiracy to defraud investors of $NZ4million, relating to a company that he ran with three others, all Mormons, that targeted fellow church members, many of whom were friends and family of the quartet.
Steven Pokere's New Zealand jersey is in Woodward's possession after a swap, and he still cherishes it - IMAGE CREDIT: DAILY MAIL
#5. Marc Cécillon (France)
On 10 November 2006, Cécillon, a former France captain, was found guilty of murdering his wife and sentenced to 20 years in prison, five more years than the prosecution had sought. The sentence was reduced to 14 years on appeal before he was released on parole in 2011.
In 2018m a judge in Perpignan, southern France, sentenced Cecillon to a further 12 months in jail, with six months suspended, after a night of violence in August at a vineyard where he was helping with the grape harvest, according to the local L'Independant news site.
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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