Stade and Racing Metro to merge

[Fan with smartphone]

After the giving out by Lorenzetti about Johan Goosen this is a bit rich.

[Dave Cahill]

The french do a lot of this kind of thing. Stade Francais is itself an amalgamation of Stade Francais and CASG, UBB is the union of Bordeaux and Begles. Bayonne and BOPB went well down the road to amalgamating before falling apart also

[enby]

Watching that programme about Michael Murphy trying his hand at rugby in Clermont, I was struck by the scale and likely cost of the operation at Clermont. It must cost an absolute fortune to run that club with all of the facilities and staff, both playing and non-playing.

It will be very interesting to see the effect of the sudden arrival of 40 professionals on to the market

[kermischocolate]

Watching that programme about Michael Murphy trying his hand at rugby in Clermont, I was struck by the scale and likely cost of the operation at Clermont. It must cost an absolute fortune to run that club with all of the facilities and staff, both playing and non-playing.

It will be very interesting to see the effect of the sudden arrival of 40 professionals on to the market

Do they have anything that other professional clubs don't?

We'll have Nakarawa back first please.

[Ruckedtobits]

Having watched Top14 fairly closely for the past decade, this news raises a lot of issues:

1. The financial prospects in the League from TV rights etc., despite appearing enormous to us, are not apparently considered adequate enough, to two very wealthy Billionaires, unless you can attract crowds to fill your Stadium.

2. Despite acquiring the land and developing a new Stadium (actually two new Stadia), it makes more financial sense to amalgamate with a rival. Wow, some economic equation in that decision.

2. French Club rugby will lose one of the five 'Private Bankers' or maybe that should read 'another of the Private Bankers'. How long will Montpelier or even Clermont budget €30m p.a. if their Parisien cousins have decided that the equation doesn't produce the necessary outcome.

4. The various comments by FFR President Laporte, about the future importance of the National Team ahead of the Clubs, must have some validity.

4. There must be some financial reason why this story broke now rather than in 6 weeks time, at the end of the normal Season. There is certainly no rugby reason for leaking it now.

5. The League may now have to undertake a major discussion / negotiation on how to handle relegation / promotion and decide whether they might allow say Bayonne (currently 14th) and Biarritz (currently in one of ProD2 play-off slots) amalgamate and stay in Top with winner of ProD2 making up the fourteen.

Interesting times ahead. France never disappoints! C'est vrai.

[simonokeeffe]

as pointed out theyve both won leagues last couple of years, would be like Sarries and Quinns merging, dont see the point other than megalomania and profiteering on behalf of owners, puts a lot of quality players on the transfer market too, also half the staff in general at both clubs to lose their jobs

I think you've just identified the point! Crazy stuff, Paris should be able to support two clubs.

Fairly sure there is only PSG in Ligue 1 in football - its a Paris thing more than a rugby thing. Seems mad to do it now - when they nearly have two new stadia - would have assumed they would need some approval for this?

Its why PSG got the big take over from the Qatari's, Champions League team and only football team in a city of 13m, yearly revenue is half a billion

[Dave Cahill]

They're the only Ligue 1 team in the city - other clubs are available (including the new anchor tenants in the Jean Bouin)

[simonokeeffe]

They're the only Ligue 1 team in the city - other clubs are available (including the new anchor tenants in the Jean Bouin)

excelsior

[IanD]

According to reports from France and Gavin Mortimer.

My ex-cousin in-law (long story, french) used to play for CASG, just pinged him there on facebook about this, he hadn't heard.

His reply consisted of rude words.

Press release.

Bluestalk are currently looking for a new French Rugby correspondent. Do you live in France and have an interest in Rugby? The bar is currently set very low so please forward your cv.

[simonokeeffe]

French press reporting the merger is to stop Qataris (not sure if same group who own PSG) from buying Stade Francais

[IanD]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/39260828

Stade-Racing merger: Contracts 'up for grabs' in next month's game

Contracts at a new club formed by the merger of French sides Racing 92 and Stade Francais are "up for grabs" when the rivals play each other next month, according to Stade's deputy chairman.

The two Paris sides announced their intention to merge from next season in a joint statement released on Monday.

Stade Francais host Racing 92 in the Top 14 on 29 April.

"There is a desire to build a side that can maybe be better than any other club in Europe," said Richard Pool-Jones.

The former Stade player confirmed the move was also motivated by a need to find "a financially viable model" with both clubs having generated "significant losses forever".

"Of course there is the financial aspect to it, which is very important but there is a positive side of combining forces so we can win titles," Pool-Jones told BBC Radio 5 live.

Racing are the reigning French champions, while Stade won the title in 2015, but both have struggled this season, lying in eighth and 11th respectively.

When asked whether players would be playing for their futures at the new club when the sides meet next month, Pool-Jones said: "I think that's a fair assessment.

"Sport is about competition and players know there are financial challenges for both clubs.

"This is a shock, it's not a particularly comfortable place for any of the players, but it's where we're at."

Pool-Jones explained that negotiations between the two clubs had only been going on for "a matter of weeks" and the merger plan was kept "a very well-preserved secret" until players were informed on Monday morning.

He added that the merger needed to be done in "an intelligent and respectful way" because of the rivalry between the clubs.

Stade Francais supporters demonstrated against the proposed merger at the club's stadium on Monday.

"I spent years enjoying standing all over the Racing club shirt, not that we don't respect it, and the same can be said of the Racing players about Stade Francais," Pool-Jones said.

"It's a very strong rivalry, as strong a rivalry as you'll find in rugby.

"It's never easy but it's about bringing the fans around and it's important to preserve the historical identities of both clubs in the new entity."

That approach will see elements of both shirts incorporated into a new design as well as a proposal to alternate home matches between Racing's new U Arena, due to be completed later in 2017, and Stade's recently expanded Stade Jean-Bouin.

The proposed amalgamation has to be ratified by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).


Money seems to be at the heart of it. Also interesting to see what happens to players who are released and as mentioned how that will affect other teams.

[offshorerules]

I seem to remember Neath and Swansea supporters having kittens a while back.

[Mickado]

No matter what the jersey is like, can we all just agree to call them "the pink hoops"?

[simonokeeffe]

it gets better, Stade Francais players have voted to go on strike, looks like game v Castres this weekend wont go ahead

French players union in general up in arms over it too

[Oldschool]

it gets better, Stade Francais players have voted to go on strike, looks like game v Castres this weekend wont go ahead

French players union in general up in arms over it too

The sugar daddy gravy train could be about to hit a bump.

[simonokeeffe]

it gets better, Stade Francais players have voted to go on strike, looks like game v Castres this weekend wont go ahead

French players union in general up in arms over it too

The sugar daddy gravy train could be about to hit a bump.

youre not wrong

its essentially a takeover of Stade by Racing as Racing owner is low on cash and is racist

[Ruckedtobits]

1. The financial prospects in the League from TV rights etc., despite appearing enormous to us, are not apparently considered adequate enough, to two very wealthy Billionaires, unless you can attract crowds to fill your Stadium.
.....................

2. French Club rugby will lose one of the five 'Private Bankers' or maybe that should read 'another of the Private Bankers'. How long will Montpelier or even Clermont budget €30m p.a. if their Parisien cousins have decided that the equation doesn't produce the necessary outcome.
..................

Interesting times ahead. France never disappoints! C'est vrai.

This is seismic in French rugby and certainly won't stop at this just because two wealthy men have decided they have seen the future.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Gavin Mortimer now saying that there is to be a meeting on Friday to review the merger with all parties present. Possibility it may not go ahead. Kudos to whoever said it made Brexit look like a well oiled machine.

[Oldschool]

Gavin Mortimer now saying that there is to be a meeting on Friday to review the merger with all parties present. Possibility it may not go ahead. Kudos to whoever said it made Brexit look like a well oiled machine.

My money would be on one of Merkel Hollannde Juncker or Tusk cos they know all about how to f^ck things up.

[Dave Cahill]

Gavin Mortimer now saying that there is to be a meeting on Friday to review the merger with all parties present. Possibility it may not go ahead. Kudos to whoever said it made Brexit look like a well oiled machine.

Well if the FFR and its president find out about it in the media then you may have a bruised feeling or two!