French rugby boss Laporte suffers another big blow

NEWS: French clubs have voted against Bernard Laporte’s proposal to appoint Patrick Buisson as interim president of the country’s rugby federation (FFR), the governing body announced on Thursday.

Earlier this month, Laporte stepped back from his role as FFR chief without resigning after being convicted of corruption charges nine months before France hosts the Rugby World Cup.

Over 50 percent of the more than 1,500 votes rejected the proposal from the former France head coach, who has been in office since 2016.

Buisson is currently the head of amateur rugby at the federation.

On Friday, the FFR board will meet with French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera to discuss the next steps in the process.

Laporte was found guilty on December 13 of five of the six offences for which he was prosecuted, including corruption and favouritism and the 58-year-old received a two-year suspended prison sentence.

He was also banned from holding any rugby post for two years, but this is suspended pending his appeal.

Laporte stepped down from his role as vice-chairman of the sport’s global governing body, World Rugby, pending a review by its ethics officer.

On February 5, France start the defence of their Six Nations title with a trip to Italy and they are looking to extend a national record of 13 straight Test wins.

The World Cup kicks off in Paris on September 8.