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Paul Gustard rewarded with new Stade Francais deal after turnaround
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Former Leicester Tigers and Harlequins boss Paul Gustard will remain Stade Français boss until at least 2029 after agreeing to a two-year extension to his deal, which was due to run out at the end of this season.
Ex-England assistant coach Gustard has overseen a remarkable turnaround in Stade’s fortunes since becoming head coach at Stade Jean-Bouin in October 2024, two years after arriving at the club.
He took over the club while they were fighting relegation after the sacking of Karim Ghezal, led them to safety, and last season they finished third in the Top 14 before losing 25-15 to Montpellier in the semi-finals.
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Stade had a one-year option on Gustard, who has also coached at Saracens and Treviso, for next season, but owner Hans-Peter Wild has now agreed a two-year extension.
Gustard told L’Equipe at the start of the season, with Stade having begun their campaign with two wins and two defeats in four games, that he has lofty ambitions for his time with Les Stadistes.
“I have a goal. To win a title. If not, I will experience it as a failure. Even if I am aware of the difficulty of the Top 14, which increases in level every season, where everyone is able to beat each of the other thirteen teams.
“I repeat. It is a question of mentality and consistency. The more we have it, the more likely we are to succeed. We have the ability. I believe in my players.
“Winning a title remains the ultimate goal. I come from teams that have won trophies. It’s been a while since it happened to me. To win a title, you will necessarily have to beat Toulouse in the semi-finals or final. For this, it will be necessary to score more than 30 points. They always do it.
“When I came to Paris, I tried to embrace this French-style game mentality while nevertheless keeping the orderly side of the English mentality. Today, I believe that my team has a good balance between madness and pragmatism,” he said.
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