Stade Francais unveil huge overhaul with 12 exits and 9 signings

Just days after having their hopes of a Top 14 title dashed at the hands of Bordeaux-Begles in the semi-finals, Stade Francais have unveiled a huge change of playing personnel heading into next season.

The Parisian outfit confirmed that twelve players have left the Stade Jean-Bouin, including centurions Laurent Panis, lock Mathieu de Giovanni, fullback Kylan Hamdaoui and fly-half Joris Segonds.

Former France scrum-half Rory Kockott is perhaps the headline departee, who came out of retirement earlier in the season to join as a medical joker but enjoyed a standout campaign.

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Georgia internationals prop Vasil Kakovin and flanker Giorgi Tsutskiridze, Australia centre Sefanaia Naivalu, back row Giovanni Habel-Küffner, hooker Mickaël Ivaldi, flanker Julien Ory and winger Stephane Ahmed complete the list.

With the dozen exits comes plenty of arrivals in the French capital, with the club announcing nine new signings, including four internationals.

France fly-half Louis Carbonel has joined the club from Top 14 rivals Montpellier, with fellow France international Yoan Tanga joining from La Rochelle.

Italy hooker Giacomo Nicotera and Portugal winger Raffaele Costa Storti complete the list of internationals, with the pair joining from Benetton and Beziers, respectively.

France’s lower divisions have proven to be a rich source of players for Stade Francais, who have picked up hooker Luka Petriashvili from Carcassonne in the Nationale and Biarritz fullback Joe Jonas from Pro D2.

The final three signings are Pau winger Samuel Ezeala, Montpellier fly-half Louis Foursans-Bourdette and Bayonne back row Pierre Huguet, who have all made moves within the Top 14.

“These are players that we have been targeting for several months and we are happy that they are joining us,” said Stade Francais head coach Laurent Labit.

“They fit perfectly into our project and tick the boxes to continue the work already done this season. Serious players to work with humility in a common dynamic, this will be the leitmotif of next season.

“Stade Français Paris must play the leading roles every year and with these reinforcements, we give ourselves the means to do so.”