Top 14 salary cap drama rumbles on as Racing 92 blast Paris rivals after ‘cheating’ accusations

Racing 92 have hit back at Stade Francais owner Han-Peter Wild, who appeared to accuse fellow Top 14 clubs of breaking the salary cap.

Wild stated that it is not a level playing field in France’s top tier, pointing the finger at Toulon and fellow Parisian outfit Racing 92.

Although French sides are awash with money and can afford the world’s top stars, they are still bound by a salary cap which is set at €10m.

Cheating

“I can pay loads of players. But I don’t cheat. One day, I took the Toulon team, position by position. They have great props, two great second-rows, and it continues in all positions,” Wild told Le Parisien.

“How do they do it with the salary cap? And we can say the same thing with Racing. It’s no fun not playing on the same field. It should be the same rules for everyone.”

Toulon were quick to respond to Wild’s comments, putting out a statement before president Bernard Lemaitre added: “The RCT and I respect Stade Français Paris, it is a friendly club. So I was unpleasantly surprised by this simply pathetic output. I wonder what could motivate him.

“The Salary Cap reporting to the LNR and the Salary Cap Manager, is this his way of calling into question this institution and its functioning?

“Perhaps since he says he wants to talk about it with President Bouscatel… Coincidence, we will host Stade Français on December 30 in Mayol.

“I hope Mr. Wild will take advantage of this match to get to know me better, apologize and share the Capri Sun of friendship.”

Racing 92’s statement

Toulon have now been followed by Stade’s Paris rivals, Racing, who have produced a similarly cutting retort to Wild’s accusations.

“We remind Stade Français Paris that Racing 92, despite repeated allegations that are as illegitimate as they are slanderous, is subject to annual controls that are certainly more detailed than elsewhere,” it read.

“Each year, they resulted in validation of our payroll in accordance with the Salary Cap regulations.

“We remind Stade Français Paris that it has not always been the case for them as in 2020 ‘irregularities’ were noted which resulted in the payment of a fine of €300,000 to the League Rugby de Nationale.

“For the record, we remind Stade Français Paris, which seems to have difficulties with arithmetic as its president admits, that it pays us a balance of €500,000 each year for the transfer of a great player, which generates for him a loss of the order of €1 million compared to Racing 92.

“Beyond the sterile and unfounded controversies, Racing 92 is delighted to see the two Ile-de-France teams deliver beautiful derbies respectful of the values of rugby and is delighted with their respective good rankings in the Top 14 on the eve of the launch of Investec Champions Cup.”

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