Stade Francais owner 'backs' struggling coach Meyer
TOP 14 WRAP: Stade Francais head coach Heyneke Meyer said he has owner Hans-Peter Wild’s support despite the Parisian club sitting bottom of the French Top 14 table after losing 18-32 to Clermont on Sunday.
Meyer, who coached the Springboks at the 2015 World Cup, saw his side lose for a fourth time in five games this season after newspaper Le Parisien reported on Friday his position would be under threat with another defeat.
“He’s an unbelievable owner, he backs the system, he backs us and he backs me, and he knows it’s a process and we’re on the right track,” Meyer said.
“I’m positive, if you look at the table there’s one or two wins between most of the teams from third to 13.”
Former Australia Under-20 flyhalf Jake McIntyre scored 22 points for last season’s runners-up Clermont after two unexpected defeats to promoted Brive and Pau.
McIntyre was flawless from the kicking tee converting tries from teenage wing Samuel Ezeala and captain Fritz Lee.
Meyer’s side, backed by billionaire Wild who was present at Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris for the defeat, led 13-12 at the break as Kylian Hamdaoui crossed with seconds remaining of the first half.
Earlier in the day Bordeaux-Begles’ promising France flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert was ruled out for at least two months with a dislocated forearm suffered in the 17-17 draw at Montpellier.
Jalibert, 20, missed almost year of action due to a knee ligament problem sustained on his one and only international appearance in 2018.
“It’s really bad news for him as he’s had big injury problems in the past. He’s started the season incredibly,” head coach Christophe Urios told broadcasters Canal+.
“We’re all disappointed for him as he was playing well and he was becoming a really important part of our system,” he added.
The result means Bordeaux-Begles fail to win for the first time this campaign and now trail leaders Lyon by two points.
On Saturday, Pierre Mignoni’s Lyon outfit maintained their perfect start with a 31-20 win at Racing 92.
Clermont, who have 10 players away on World Cup duty, claimed victory thanks to Ezeala and Lee’s efforts and points from McIntyre’s boot in the second half.
Sunday’s results:
Stade Francais 18 Clermont 32
Montpellier 17 Bordeaux-Begles 17
Played Saturday
Racing92 20 Lyon 31
Castres 30 Agen 27
Bayonne 23 La Rochelle 22
Toulouse 24 Pau 23
Brive 39 Toulon 17
AFP
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Et voici l’ensemble des résultats de la 5e journée ! 🔥🧐 pic.twitter.com/H8VaOSYA8h
— TOP 14 Rugby (@top14rugby) September 29, 2019
