Top 14: Further details emerge of proposed Bourgoin-Lyon merger; Pau hit by DNACG

The proposed merger between financially stricken Bourgoin and ProD2’s Lyon OU has moved a step closer with confirmation that GL Events – the company headed by Olivier Ginon – is to instigate a club an audit.

Ginon, the majority shareholder at Lyon OU, is seeking to become Bourgoin’s new president following the resignation of Rene Flamand on Friday. It is understood both parties are keen on the merger idea – which should now take place for the start of the 2010/11 season, although the finer details of the deal have yet to be worked out.

What the new club will be called and where it will play are both key questions that supporters from the two teams will be keen to answered.  According to a report in Midi Olympique on Monday it seems likely that Bourgoin’s Stade Pierre Rajon will be the initial ‘home’ ground, although nothing has yet been confirmed.

That, however, is not a foregone conclusion as Ginon is a close friend of Jean-Michel Aulus, president of Olympique Lyonnais football club, with the latter keen to embark on a ground sharing venture at the Stade Gerland. Early reports indicate the new club would use both grounds, with a proposal for the Stade Gerland to host at least four Top 14 games and two ECC matches should the merger go ahead.

GL Events is expected to make an official announcement on the merger by the end of August, by which time it should have the full results of the club audit.

Bourgoin had 14 player licences blocked just hours before their opening-day match against Clermont Auvergne, with new signings Albert Vuli Vuli, Piet Van Zyl, Alberto Di Bernardo, Jon Senio and Sylvain Charlet all barred, along with Arnaud Tchougong, Yann Labrit, Wessel Jooste, Matias Viazzo, Albin Louchard, Vincent Pelo, Alexandre Dumoulin, Jordan Merle and Lapteff  (who had all signed new deals during the summer).

The DNACG, the league’s financial watchdog, took the decision after Bourgoin failed to provide assurances about their proposed €10.2 budget for 2009/10. This followed a €2m shortfall on last year’s budget and clearly the DNACG has now lost patience with the club.

It also blocked six Montauban licences, and now it has confirmed that ProD2 side Pau have become the latest club to attract its attention. On Tuesday the DNACG confirmed it had blocked seven player licences at the Midi-Pyrenees club due to a budgetary shortfall of €250,000. It further announced that two other ProD2 clubs – as yet unnamed – could be hit by sanctions.

Tarbes – who have also struggled with their finances and came within a whisker of relegation in the summer - have signed former Dax backrow forward Pierre Caillet on a one-year contract.

Fédérale 1 club Saint-Jean-de-Luz have confirmed the signing of former Toulon prop Mathieu Larrouy, who had been left without a contract at the end of last season. Bédarrides, meanwhile, have signed Tiaan Burger, brother of Springbok back row international Schalk Burger. The Provençal club has also signed former Dax prop Jimmy Jaen.

Elsewhere in Fédérale 1 the former Montpellier coach Didier Nourault is working as a consultant with RC Orleans.