Bordeaux statement: Termination of Christophe Urios' contract

Struggling Bordeaux have sacked Christophe Urios just ten games into the Top 14 season after victory in just four matches left them adrift in tenth place. Last season’s semi-finalists were hammered 33-7 at fellow strugglers Pau in their most recent outing on November 6 and the head coach has now exited the club ten days later.

A statement read: “Union Bordeaux-Begles confirms the termination by mutual agreement of the contract of its manager Christophe Urios with immediate effect.

“We would like to thank Christophe for helping UBB progress over the past three seasons. His work has enabled the club to write a beautiful page in its history. Frederic Charrier and Julien Laïrle will continue their mission within the sports staff.”

Bordeaux had failed to recover from the summer losses of Cameron Woki to Racing and Alexandre Roumat to Toulouse and it now remains to be seen whether Wednesday’s departure of head coach Urios will have any impact on the proposed signing of Tom Willis.

The ex-Wasps flanker has been out of work since his Gallagher Premiership club collapsed on October 17 and it was reported that he was in Bordeaux on Sunday to sign a contract that would take him through to the end of this season.

However, there has been no official confirmation from the club that the deal has gone through for the 23-year-old whose Test-level older brother Jack has been linked with an early December move to Toulouse following the completion of England’s Autumn Nations Series. The Willis brothers were two of the 167 players and staff made redundant by Wasps four weeks ago.