France head coach Fabien Galthie has confirmed he has spoken to Mohamed Haouas and informed him that he would not be selected in his World Cup squad.
The tighthead prop was last week given a one-year jail sentence by a French court after he was found guilty of domestic abuse following an attack on his wife.
Haouas was arrested on October 26 and footage has since emerged of the moment the Montpellier forward chased his wife before kicking and punching her.
Clermont deal torn up
The front-row was set to move to Top 14 rivals Clermont ahead of next season but that contract has been torn up, with France now cutting ties for this year.
“Last week, I called him,” head coach Galthie said, with Haouas having won 16 caps and, at the age of 29 years old, should be reaching peak form as a prop.
“I listened to him and told him that he would not be selected. He replied that he understood and apologised to the players and the staff.”
Galthie was quizzed by the media about whether the prop’s absence would extend beyond the Rugby World Cup on home soil, to which he gave a measured response.
“The competition we are interested in is the World Cup,” he added.
“I didn’t survey my players (about the decision) but we exchanged a lot, yes. What they said, I will keep to myself. But what is happening to Momo Haouas is not good news for him or for us.”
Tighthead prop options
Haouas’ absence from the selection picture leaves France with Uini Atonio, Sipili Falatea and Dorian Aldegheri as likely squad picks for the 2023 tournament.
The now former Montpellier prop started Les Bleus’ third match of this year’s Six Nations but was red carded on 12 minutes after inexplicably headbutting Scotland scrum-half Ben White. This came three years after he was red carded for punching another Scotland player, back-row Jamie Ritchie, at Murrayfield.
World Cup hosts France are in the same pool as New Zealand, Italy, Uruguay and Namibia, kicking off their campaign against the All Blacks on September 8.
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