Top 14 – Oscar Jegou (La Rochelle) scorer and acclaimed for his return to competition against Stade français

With a final thrust, on a new highlight from the Rochelais who were pushing in this second period, Oscar Jegou dove to flatten the ball from the third try right on the goal line (61st). the victory of Stade Rochelais against Stade Français, this Saturday evening (35-18). The one which allowed his team to finally break away with the score (28-18), after a messy first half and which had seen the Parisians take the lead at the break (15-11). Anecdotal? Not really, when we remember that, on the occasion of this 9th day of the Top 14Oscar Jegou set foot on a rugby pitch for the first time, four months ago and the “night of Mendoza” which would soon become “the Jegou-Auradou affair”.

Validated after a video referee, this achievement was accompanied by cheers from the La Rochelle public, celebrating the try but also celebrating the return of his player, despite his legal situation, accompanying him with loud applause and “Je-gou, Je-gou” descending from the stands of Marcel-Deflandre. In response, the third line sent them a heart, drawn with both hands above their head.

Without waiting for a dismissal…

Still the subject of a complaint in Argentina for aggravated rape in a meeting, a case in which he is awaiting a verdict on his request for dismissal, Oscar Jegou was necessarily scrutinized for his return to sporting affairs. Initially, his club, Stade Rochelais, had aligned itself with the position of the FFR concerning the XV of France: no return to competition until the dismissal of the case had not been pronounced. But faced with the multiple postponements of hearings by the Argentine courts and the lengthening delays, the maritime club had chosen, this week, to go beyond this by establishing its young third row (21 years old). As the Pau Section did with Hugo Auradou, from October 5 for a trip to Pau.

“Having no longer any visibility on the dismissal procedure requested by the Mendoza prosecutor, we decided, in consultation with our lawyer Maître Astolfe, to authorize Oscar to play again this weekend. We renew our confidence in the Argentine justice system but we are very impatient for the procedure to come to an end with the holding of the hearing on the dismissal of the case.” had justified the president of Stade Rochelais, Vincent Merling in the columns of Sud-Ouest.

Skelton : “It’s to the coaches’ credit to bring him back.”

His teammates had also welcomed his return, but the uncertainty which continues to weigh on the legal level. “He will express himself on the pitch and that’s where he performs the best.” commented Brice Dulin. The giant Will Skelton, author of a huge performance this Saturday evening, added: “I'm so happy for him that he's in the group. He's been training with us for three or four weeks and physically he seems very good and he always brings the energy to training… That's all to the honor of the coaches to bring him back into the group.” Honor will soon also be a question on the legal aspect of the case, where the verdict of the Argentine courts should not delay any longer.