Heyneke Meyer and his assistants ousted at Stade Francais - reports
After a poor start to the French league season that has seen the club pick up just two wins and nine points from their opening nine games, Heyneke Meyer and his coaching staff have reportedly been stood down at struggling Stade Francais.
According to a report in French publication Midi Olympique, the club’s new general manager, Thomas Lombard, told the players at the club on Tuesday afternoon that the decision had been made, with forwards coach Laurent Sempere and veteran wing Julian Arias set to take interim charge.
Meyer, the 2015 Springboks World Cup coach, had brought in a number of fellow South African coaches such as Pieter de Villiers, John McFarland, Dewald Senekal and Ricardo Loubscher, all of whom are thought to have also been removed from the club’s coaching staff.
The development comes just days after Stade fell to a disheartening 25-9 loss to Parisian rivals Racing 92, a result which cut them further adrift at the bottom of the table.
Racing sit just four spots above Stade in the Top 14 table, although that win was enough to lengthen their points lead over Stade to nine.
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Meyer’s now old side were in real danger of being left behind by the pack as they even sit seven points behind 13th-place Agen, with signs few and far between that they can close the gap.
With experienced veterans such as Morne Steyn, Sergio Parisse, Alexandre Flanquart and Djibril Camara having left the club over the summer, the former champions of France and Europe find themselves in a precarious position.
Not only have they slipped to seven defeats, their points differential of -149 is 106 points worse than the next worst differential in the league as the Parisian side have looked very much like relegation favourites since the early rounds of the competition.
?? Information Midi Olympique ??https://t.co/7AqHW5xLqV
— Midi Olympique (@midi_olympique) November 12, 2019
Sempere announced his retirement from playing this summer and immediately took up the role of forwards coach alongside de Villiers at the club, while Arias recently re-signed as a player although it was understood he would be transitioning into a backs coach role over the course of the 2019/20 season.
Between the two, they have over 25 years of service to the club as players, as well as making nearly 400 combined appearances.
Rugbyrama had reported earlier on Tuesday that Lombard had called a meeting of the players at the club and although the report suggested a number of coaches could be axed, there was a chance that Meyer would stay on in his role of director of sport and head coach.
WATCH: Heyneke Meyer insisted earlier this year he was not a dictator despite a series of high profile departures from Stade Francais
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments