Vinaya Habosi, who was recalled after a domestic violence investigation, made a notable contribution to Racing 92’s victory over Vannes in the Top 14 on Saturday. This came less than three weeks after he was arrested following an altercation with his wife. The 24-year-old Fijian winger, who has faced disciplinary action from the club and is required to attend a domestic violence rehabilitation program, scored during the match as Racing came back to win 27-24. This victory marked their second win in five games this season and alleviated some pressure on head coach Stuart Lancaster.
Meanwhile, in Perpignan, Hugo Auradou made his first appearance for Pau since returning from Argentina, where he faced accusations of rape. The 21-year-old lock was arrested alongside La Rochelle flanker Oscar Jegou in July after representing France in a Test match against Argentina. A woman alleged that the two players sexually assaulted her in a hotel room following a night out after the match. Both players deny the allegations, claiming that the encounter was consensual. Recently, Argentine prosecutors recommended dropping the rape charges against them.
While Jegou has resumed training with La Rochelle, he did not participate in their match against Lyon on Saturday. Later that day, Antoine Dupont’s former team, Castres, was set to face his current club Toulouse, though Dupont was absent as he enjoyed his post-Olympic break in the United States, where he had the opportunity to meet Argentine football legend Lionel Messi in Miami.