Ireland centre Farrell 'steps back' from Munster duty amid French court case

Ireland international centre Chris Farrell has stepped away from Munster duty amid a legal case in France relating to an alleged rape, the Irish rugby team announced.

Farrell faces a charge of "non-prevention of a crime" in the case which dates back to March 2017.

A statement from Munster said the 29-year-old would not be involved with the club while "legal proceedings concerning his alleged involvement as a witness to an alleged crime in 2017, are ongoing".

"Munster Rugby and Chris Farrell have agreed that, with immediate effect, he will be stepping back from his involvement with the Munster squad," the statement read.

"As this is an active legal matter before the French courts, we have no further comment."

Farrell played for French Top 14 side Grenoble from 2014 to 2017 and has made 15 appearances for Ireland, and was part of the Six Nations' Grand Slam team in 2018 as well as the World Cup squad in 2019.

Three former Grenoble players, Irishman Denis Coulson, New Zealander Rory Grice and Frenchman Loick Jammes have denied rape allegations.

The young woman alleged that she was raped after she met the players at a nightclub in Bordeaux following their defeat against Bordeaux-Begles in March 2017. The players claim that the young woman was consenting.

Farrell and Dylan Hayes, also both playing with Grenoble at the time, face the lesser charge of "non-prevention of a crime".

On Thursday, the case was referred to the Assizes Court of Gironde, and the players appealed that decision to the Bordeaux Court of Appeal, which upheld the referral of the case to the criminal trial court.

The players still have the right to appeal the decision to another court.