French player Auradou, accused of rape, to start for Pau

NEWS: French international rugby player Hugo Auradou, who along with another player is accused of raping a woman in Argentina, will start a match for Pau on Saturday, the top-flight club said.

Auradou “will start” the Top 14 game at Perpignan, Pau coach Sebastien Piqueronies said at a press conference on Friday.

“There’s no surprise. You’ve seen him training with us and the day has come to get him on a rugby field and that will be tomorrow,” Piqueronies said.

“There is nothing to prevent him from playing rugby, he is presumed innocent,” he added.

Auradou and Oscar Jegou, both 21, were allowed to leave Argentina in early September after being held for two nearly two months in connection with the alleged attack on a 39-year-old woman.

They were arrested in July, two days after winning their first international caps for France against Argentina in Mendoza.

The woman alleged they viciously assaulted her in a hotel room after a night out following the match.

The men deny the accusation, saying the sex had been consensual.