Blanco steps down at Biarritz

 

Blanco needed a two-thirds majority in Biarritz's general meeting to merge the fallen French giants with their regional rivals, but fell short. 

 

Venezuelan-born Blanco, who was at Biarritz during his entire playing career, leaves the club in the second-tier Pro D2 – the same division as Bayonne.

 

The decision comes as a surprise following the Biarritz board's approval of the merger last week, but rival fans of Bayonne were among those to share their concerns. 

 

Blanco, a French legend with 93 caps, had been in discussions with Bayonne's president Manu Merin about the merger, and voiced his disappointment during Tuesday's meeting, in which he resigned.  

 

The 56-year-old, France's record try-scorer with 38 tries, is also a successful hotelier and sports manufacturer following his venture into business after retiring as a player in 1992. 

 

Blanco has also been vice-president of the French Rugby Federation since 2012 and could run for president of French rugby's supreme body in 2016.  

 

Five-time French champions Biarritz will compete in the Pro D2 for the second-straight season after missing out on the play-offs last term.

 

The 2015/16 campaign will be the first season without a Basque club in the top flight after Bayonne's relegation on the last day of the Top 14 season (2014/15).