Forum du Racing 92

Annoncé comme presque fait par le Midi Olympique, c’est maintenant confirmé par la presse irlandaise. Même si le contrat n’est pas encore signé, les différentes parties sont tombées d’accord, et Stuart Lancaster succèdera à Laurent Travers sur le banc du Racing 92 la saison prochaine. Une dernière vidéoconférence est prévue en fin de semaine avec les dirigeants des deux clubs pour finaliser les derniers détails.

Laurent Travers pourrait dans un premier temps devenir directeur du rugby au Racing 92, et il garderait donc une influence sur l’équipe. Il pourrait formé un duo avec Stuart Lancaster, comme Franck Azéma et Pierre Mignoni le font à Toulon. L’autre option est que Laurent Travers prenne la place de Jacky Lorenzetti à la présidence du club francilien, et que le coach anglais soit seul à la tête de l’équipe. C’est sur ces ajustements que vont porter les derniers échanges entre les personnes concernées.

Stuart Lancaster’s move to Racing 92 at the end of this season could be finalised by the end of this week. Leinster’s senior coach is set to have a video meeting over the weekend with the Parisian club’s benefactor cum president Jacky Lorenzetti and current head coach Laurent Travers, and French sources have told The Irish Times that Lancaster’s departure to Racing 92 now looks all but certain.

All that remains is for Lancaster and the Racing hierarchy to agree on his exact role at the Paris club, with Travers set to assume more of a director of rugby or administrative role, as he still wants to retain some influence on the running of the team. Either way, Lancaster is in line to become Racing’s new head coach or adopt a senior coach role akin to his existing remit with Leinster in time for the 2023-24 season.

It is even conceivable that Travers might become the new Racing 92 president, freeing up Lorenzetti to concentrate more on his various real estate and wine businesses. The final details have still to be resolved but presuming agreement is reached on Lancaster’s hands-on coaching role, it is expected he will end his association with Leinster after the 2022-23 season – his seventh with the province.

The 52-year-old former Leeds Tykes director of rugby and England head coach was enlisted by Leo Cullen and Leinster at the start of the 2016-17 season and despite some ill-advised misgivings in the media, notably in the UK, Lancaster has had a truly transformative and profound effect on the province.