Police arrest France rugby star Haouas for domestic violence

French rugby star Mohamed Haouas's Rugby World Cup future is uncertain after police in Montpellier took him into custody for alleged domestic violence.

The development raises fresh concerns about the player's conduct, after a succession of brushes with the law.

It also comes just two months before the Rugby World Cup takes place in France, giving a major selection headache to the host nation's coach.

What do we know about Haouas?

Haouas, a prop forward for Montpellier, was arrested for alleged domestic violence committed on the public highway in Montpellier.

The exact circumstances of the arrest are not yet known, but the incident follows two previous trials for crimes committed a decade ago.

He was tried earlier this month in the city for aggravated violence and destruction of property in 2014.

Prosecutors had compared six defendants in the case, including Haouas, to "a pack of wolves attacking a man on the ground."

While they emphasized that Haouas, who was raised by his mother in a poor part of Montpellier, acted as a "leader" of the group, they also praised him for escaping his troubled youth.

Surveillance footage showed that Haouas and his friends had beaten the man, who had allegedly attacked the rugby player, with fists, feet and iron bars.

He apologized for the offenses, saying: "When you're young, you do stupid things."

He told the court his aim was "to never return to court" and that he wanted to "turn the page on" past mistakes.

In February last year, a court handed Haouas an 18-month suspended sentence for receiving a stolen car and for taking part in a series of robberies of tobacconists in April 2014.

What does it mean on the field?

Prosecutors have demanded a two-year suspended sentence for the player, with the court's decision scheduled for June 30.

The timing poses a headache for France coach Fabien Galthie who is set to name his initial 42-man squad for the tournament nine days earlier.

The player has won 16 international caps and figured in France's Six Nations squad this season. He received a red card during his only appearance, against Scotland, for headbutting and was banned for the rest of the tournament.

The player, who is married with two children, has spent his rugby career to date solely at Montpellier but is set to switch to its Top 14 rival Clermont in the coming months.

"I've decided to leave Montpellier before the end of my contract to have a complete change, a change of house, of city, of life," Haouas said about the upcoming move.

rc/msh (AFP, Reuters)