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Bayonne statement: Police arrest of the club's assistant coach
By Liam Heagney
Top 14 newcomers Bayonne have issued a statement following the arrest of assistant coach Antoine Battut and their former physical trainer Cyril Gomes after an incident at a medical clinic emergency room. Promoted as Pro D2 champions, the club is due to launch its top-flight campaign with a September 3 trip to Toulon.
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However, preparations have now been complicated following a late-night incident this week in which a nurse was allegedly attacked. The Bayonne statement read: “Aviron Bayonnais Rugby Pro has learned that a member of the sports staff is involved in an incident that occurred overnight from Monday to Tuesday.
“The club would like to point out that this event took place during a period of leave. The management of the club, which will meet the employee concerned as soon as possible, strongly condemns these facts which took place in a private context.
“Anxious to let justice do its job, the club will not make any additional comments and will take all necessary measures.”
Bayonne didn’t name the people caught up in the incident but local newspaper Sud-Ouest named the duo involved as current assistant coach Battut and former employee Gomes. Their story explained that the pair allegedly hit a nurse at the Aguilera clinic in Biarritz and a complaint was lodged at the local police station for aggravated violence.
Biarritz : Antoine Battut et Cyril Gomes en garde à vue après des coups portés à un infirmier de la clinique Aguilera https://t.co/sdoIgobDeA pic.twitter.com/vDD6iLaTMn
— SudOuest Sport (@SudOuest_Sport) August 24, 2022
The media reported that the two men – who were intoxicated – had accompanied the Bayonne club’s video analyst to the emergency room after he was the victim of a scooter accident but a clash took place at the clinic that allegedly left a nurse bloodied on the ground. This led to Gomes being arrested at the scene and Battut, who was suspected of having thrown a punch, was taken into custody later on. He was reportedly released on Wednesday afternoon.
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The 38-year-old enjoyed a 16-year professional career as a player, starting out with two years at Toulouse before switching to Auch and Montauban and then arriving at Racing in 2010. Battut spent four seasons in Paris before three seasons followed at Montpellier and he then ended his career with a three-season stint at Bayonne before moving into coaching with them.
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Agree with the bulk - but the Baa-Baas thing works both ways. Teams obviously do a mass of analysis into how their opposition plays nowadays. With them, it's borderline impossible. It's almost a leveller. You're right in that the bar is pathetically low now and that Farrell should be the starting fly-half. It's a waste of his talent in the position. Akin to faffing around with Sexton playing centre for several years - something which would never happen. I do think without the mass of injuries we had in the run-up to Scotland, Borthwick would've played Farrell at 10. So to sum up - I agree with the bulk - but I think Borthwick will fix this. He's a competent coach.
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