Merger leaves Boks in limbo

Springboks Morné Steyn, Johan Goosen and Willem Alberts may not make the cut if the merger of Paris clubs Racing 92 and Stade Français goes ahead.

Players from both clubs are in limbo after presidents Jacky Lorenzetti and Thomas Savare announced the merger to take place at the end of the season. The senior teams have a combined total of 64 contracted players, but only 45 will be retained to represent the new club.

ALSO READ: French club giants to merge

According to French reports, Goosen, Steyn and Alberts will not be part of the new 'project' and will have to find new clubs before the next season starts.

Other South Africans rumoured to have missed the cut are Racing's Sean Robinson (fullback), Francois van der Merwe and Le Roux Roets (locks) and Stade's Gerhard Mostert (lock), who is out of contract in June.

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Stade Français players are protesting against the merger, believing it is more of a takeover by Racing. The players were set to forfeit their match against Castres this weekend, but those plans are on hold, pending the outcome of an emergency meeting on Friday where the bosses of France's National Rugby League will discuss the proposed merger.

Photo: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

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