News

Stade Français depleted for opener

August 11 2009

They might have the biggest budget in the Top 14, but Stade Français could be hard pressed to line-up a competitive team for their season opener against Toulon on Friday.

The Parisian giants have been hard hit by injuries in the build up to the season and Scotland international Simon Taylor, who has a broken foot, is amongst those on the injury list following Stade's two pre-season friendlies.

Coach Ewen McKenzie says the club has as many as "seventeen players out at the moment" due to injury and ineligibility.

"[The opening round is] going to be a challenge," he told RuggaMatrix .

A number of Stade's internationals will not be eligible to play since the mandatory rest period for players who participated in the mid-year tours is not yet over.

"The FFR and Italian federations aren't allowing their players to play in the first round of competition. That takes out nine players straight away."

Meanwhile, McKenzie is confident James Haskell and Tom Palmer will "play their way back in" to Martin Johnson's England squad by starring in the French league this season.

The former Wasps pair were two of a host of French-based players left out of the 32-man elite player squad for next season named by Johnson last month.

However, they get an early chance to impress England bosses with the Top 14 getting under three weeks before the English Premiership kicks off.

And McKenzie is determined to play his part in helping his summer signings return to the international scene as quickly as possible.

"I've got a good line of communication with Martin Johnson," said McKenzie.

"And one of the things I want to do is help these guys re-emerge into international footy.

"I'm there for them, I'm looking at their skill-sets, the skill-sets Martin Johnson wants, what England are looking for and maybe we can dovetail them and give the boys an opportunity to play their way back in."

McKenzie insists the exclusion of back-row forward Haskell and lock Palmer from the latest England squad has not turned them into bad players overnight.

"England in a way are spoilt for choice," he added.

"There is always going to be competition for places and in the end it comes down to opinion. It certainly doesn't mean they are bad players by any stretch.

"Tom Palmer's been injured for a while and hasn't had a chance to press his claims and James Haskell is in a very competitive position. The back row is always competitive, with lots of options."

Haskell and Palmer are expected to start for Stade in their Top 14 curtain-raiser against Jonny Wilkinson's Toulon at the Stade Mayol on Friday.