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Coach Paul Gustard. PA

Stade Francais begin rebuild by adding coach Gustard and eight new players

Scrum-half Morgan Parra, 33, capped 72 times by France, has also joined after 13 seasons with Clermont.

STADE FRANCAIS, WHO finished the season in a disappointing 11th place in the Top 14, have announced the recruitment of defence coach Paul Gustard as well as eight players, including Clermont scrum-half Morgan Parra.

Parra, 33, capped 72 times by France, left Clermont last week after 13 seasons.

Also joining the capital club are hookers Mickael Ivaldi (Lyon) and Lucas Peyreblanques (Biarritz), backrow forwards Mathieu Hirigoyen (Biarritz) and Julien Ory (Toulon), Samoan Giovanni Habel Kuffner (Pau) and Georgian Giorgi Tsutskiridze (Aurillac/Pro D2), and winger Stephane Ahmed (Montauban/Pro D2).

Australian back Sione Tui returns to the squad after being loaned out to Carcassonne in the Pro D2 last season.

Stade’s head coach Gonzalo Quesada will also have Gustard, the former Saracens, England and Harlequins coach who joins from Treviso on board in a defence role.

Quesada will also be able to call on skills coach James Kent, promoted from the Stade academy after previous experience with the Canadian men and women’s teams and the France under-20 team.

Meanwhile, France forward Thibaud Flament has extended his contract with Toulouse by a year through until 2026, the Top 14 club announced Wednesday.

Flament touched down in Toulouse in 2020 after an atypical early career that saw him play in England, Belgium and Argentina.

The 25-year-old, who can play at lock and across the backrow has featured in 17 Top 14 matches this season, starting 11. He has also won seven caps for France.

Flament is the latest Toulouse player, and France international, to extend his contract following fly-half Romain Ntamack (2027), front row forwards Cyril Baille (2027), Julien Marchand (2028) and Peato Mauvaka (2026), flanker Francois Cros (2027) and full-back Thomas Ramos (2027).

© Agence France-Presse

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AFP
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