Racing 92 will reportedly hold an emergency meeting today to discuss the future of head coach Stuart Lancaster with Laurent Travers also set to leave the club.
Travers, who has held multiple positions in the coaching team as well as the director of rugby and most recently the chairman of the club, has reportedly indicated to Racing 92 owner Jacky Lorenzetti that he will be joining Bayonne next season.
Lancaster to leave?
According to Sud Ouest sources, he will take up the director of rugby role at Bayonne as he wishes to return to coaching.
Meanwhile, it is looking increasingly likely that former England and Leinster coach Lancaster will leave the Parisian club before the end of the season.
Earlier this weekend, ex-England fly-half Andy Goode reported that Lancaster has ‘chucked his hat in the ring’ to replace Graham Rowntree at Munster.
“I’m hearing Lanny, either he wants out or they want him out… Apparently, the French lads are not happy with Stuart Lancaster whatsoever and I’m not sure Lanny’s enjoying it – that relationship with the French lads and the club,” Goode said on The Rugby Pod.
Now, Actu Rugby reports that a “crisis meeting” has been called at Racing 92 which will take place today (Thursday, December 19) to discuss the Englishman’s future at the club.
The report adds that it becoming increasingly unlikely that Lancaster will stay in his role beyond Boxing Day despite signing a deal until the July 2027.
While it is yet to be confirmed if Lancaster is even in the running for the Munster job, he could still face the sack, particularly considering Racing 92’s poor form in the Top 14, winning just five of their 11 matches while they were humbled by Sale Sharks in Round Two of the Investec Champions Cup.
Replacement and more departures
In the event that he fails to see out the year with the Parisian side, Actu Rugby‘s report states that former France hooker Dimitri Szarzewski could take over as the team’s head coach for the remainder of the season.
Goode suggested ex-scrum-half Frédéric Michalak but the hooker is reportedly the preferred option having worked as the team’s defence coach since 2020. He also knows Lorenzetti well which the publication believes will put him in a good place to take the position.
Meanwhile, England back Henry Arundell could well be on his way out of the club too with Rugby Pass reporting that the flyer could join Bath at the end of the season.
The 22-year-old was part of Steve Borthwick’s squad at last year’s Rugby World Cup and could return to the Premiership on a hybrid RFU contract.
Bath are believed to be in the market for a full-back ahead of next season and are understood to have spoken to Willie le Roux and have been linked with Gloucester’s Santiago Carreras.
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/stuart-lancaster-nears-exit-as-racing-92-call-crisis-meeting-for-wantaway-coach-report
