Top 14: 'Hostage' Haskell caught in
the crossfire; ERC dismiss Attoub's ban appeal
04 March 2010
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Club v Country: Stade Francais and England are at
loggerheads over James Haskell's weekend availability
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade
Francais president Max Guazzini has labelled James Haskell a
'hostage' as the RFU continues to release the player for
weekend club duty.
Guazzini
is reportedly furious at the RFU's intransigence and has
repeatedly asked for the English governing body to produce
evidence that a written agreement was inserted in Haskell's
original contract.
The RFU
maintain the 24-year-old remains under Martin Johnson's care
and have curtly rebuffed Guazzini's pleas that Haskell be
allowed to play in Saturday's crunch match against Stade
Toulousain. Haskell himself - according to reports in
today's Daily Mail - is said to be willing to play and is
now considering his options as both sides turn up the heat.
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Stade
have already written to Haskell to reprimand him for missing
two training sessions and are believed to be considering a
'breach of contract' legal approach should the RFU stand
firm. That would not be good for any of the parties
involved, with Haskell the pawn in a high-level game of
poker. The RFU clearly doesn't want to set a precedent and
has also denied Brive's request that Riki Flutey be
released, but the fact that France has released its entire
squad for action does not reflect well on the Red Rose.
"Under
IRB law nine, international players are available to
national teams for certain periods in the year and this week
is not one of those periods. There are players from Scotland
and Italy back at clubs this week, so why should England
decide to treat James Haskell like a hostage?" asked
Guazzini.
"It's not true that we've signed an agreement
with the RFU. We have never signed any agreement with them.
We let James join England for a week before the November
Tests and for a week before the Six Nations. We have shown
respect to England but the RFU have not shown us any," he
added. "We have a big problem here. The RFU don't pay French
clubs - we pay the player and we need James Haskell because
this is a very important match for us," said Guazzini.
The
Stade remains hopeful that Haskell will yet be released, but
the longer this bickering drags on the worse relations will
get between the RFU and one of France's most powerful clubs.
The club
versus country clash is the first real test of relations
between the RFU and French clubs, and while it remains an
isolated spat at present there are bound to be many
interested onlookers.
The
problem stems from the fact that France has released all of
its squad back their respective clubs for this weekend's
games, with club coaches expecting a similar arrangement
from England. But the RFU has opted to retain the England
starting XV against Ireland, meaning the likes of Haskell,
Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon) and Riki Flutey (Brive) remain
under Martin Johnson's control.
Wilkinson has a written agreement in his Toulon contract to
abide by all EPS strictures, while the RFU enjoys an
excellent working arrangement with Brive and their English
CEO Simon Gillham. The Limousin club has happily abided by
all England requests to date, making the likes of Flutey,
Steve Thompson, Andy Goode and Jamie Noon readily available
for training and selection if asked.
But
Stade Francais appear a different animal, and flamboyant
president Guazzini is clearly flexing his muscles over
Haskell. Part of the problem is the importance of this
weekend's fixture against Stade Toulousain - being played at
the Stade de France - with the Paris club in desperate need
of a win to maintain their hopes of a top six finish, and
qualification for next season's Heineken Cup.
Guazzini
has already seen the likes of Julien Dupuy and David Attoub
ruled out for the rest of the season due to their respective
ERC bans, and he understandably wants his best available
team out for Saturday's crucial match.
If
Haskell isn't released it will cap another frustrating week
for the Paris club following confirmation on Thursday that
Attoub's appeal against his 70-week ban has been dismissed
by the ERC.
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