PSA: ‘Not normal for Top 14 to be 60 percent foreign’

Editor

Former France head coach Philippe Saint-André has spoken out over the high number of foreign players in the Top 14.

Saint-André highlighted the case of Benoît Guyot, the 27-year-old back-row who retired before the start of the season to resume his education after he failed to find a new club once his contract with La Rochelle had expired.

Guyot told Midi Olympique at the time about the Top 14: “This very open system brings in world class players but threatens boys like myself. We must ask the right questions.”

Speaking to SFR Sport, Saint-André highlighted Guyot’s case and references his time in charge of France when arguing that something had to change and that more opportunities had to be handed out to younger French players.

“That’s why I have been campaigning for 6-7 years about the number of French players, not just in the squad but on the matchday teamsheet,” he said.

“It is not normal that a player of his age, who was in Biarritz, arrived in La Rochelle, in the back-row or certainly anywhere where this is competition, to leave the professional circuit.

“In our organisation it is not normal to have 50-60 percent foreigners in the Top 14 and Pro D2, and to have young French players who cannot find places.”