FILE PHOTO: Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou, French rugby players accused of sexual assault, are seen at the Ezeiza International Airport after an Argentine court allowed them to leave the country, in Buenos Aires, Argentina September 3, 2024. REUTERS/Tomas Cuesta/File Photo
PARIS (Reuters) -France's Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, who were the subject of rape allegations last summer, are set to take part in the Six Nations after being named in a 42-man squad on Wednesday which also features halfbacks Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack.
Last month, an Argentine court dismissed aggravated rape charges against Auradou and Jegou and the French federation said they were available for international duty again.
Auradou and Jegou, both 21, had been under investigation since July 12 for alleged aggravated rape — a charge used for suspected gang rape — in Argentina's western Mendoza province after they both made their international debuts.
The two players, allowed to leave Argentina in September, always denied any wrongdoing and said the sex was consensual. The plaintiff has appealed the court's decision and the next hearing will take place on Feb. 10, their lawyer said.
Scrumhalf Dupont will take part in his first Six Nations campaign since 2023 after missing last year's competition to prepare for the Paris Olympics, where he won a Rugby Sevens gold medal with Les Bleus.
Flyhalf Ntamack missed the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Six Nations through injury, having been unable to play for France since August, 2023.
Flyhalf Jalibert also makes his comeback in the squad after skipping the last two tests of France's autumn series last November.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)
