French prop gets new court date

NEWS: France and Montpellier prop forward Mohamed Haouas will be back in court in January charged with "willful violence" in an incident on New Year's Day 2015, his lawyer said on Monday.

Haouas received an 18-month suspended sentence in February for his part in a series of robberies of a tobacconist in April 2014 and for receiving a stolen car.

"He has been summoned for willful violence in a hearing on January 13 before the criminal court of Montpellier for a case that dates back to January 1, 2015," the lawyer, Marc Gallix, told AFP.

The player, who is 28 years old, "participated in a fight in an industrial cake bakery," the lawyer added, stressing that these were "old events."

Haouas, born in Le Havre on March 4, 1994, spent his childhood in the impoverished Petit Bard district of Montpellier.

A former taekwondo fan, he took up rugby at the age of 15.

He has won 15 France caps. Although he did not play in the recent year-end internationals, he remains part of the France squad.

The lawyer said that the court appearance on January 13 should not interfere with the prop's possible participation in the Six Nations Tournament, which champions France will start on February 5 against Italy.