Stade Francais players strike over merger plans

This weekend's Top 14 match against Castres Olympique is in doubt following player walkout.

Stade Francais players have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in protest at the club's planned merger with local rivals Racing 92.

At a meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the players voted 99.8% in favour of 'unlimited' action. Only one player abstained from the vote, the French media are reporting.

The club's vice-captain, veteran lock Pascal Papé, told L'Equipe that players were taking action to block the plans announced on Monday by club presidents Thomas Savare and Jacky Lorenzetti.

He said that players would refuse to train and would not play in the next Top 14 match against Castres Olympique, on Sunday, March 19 at 1:30am (HKT).

If the fixture is not fulfilled, Stade would be docked two points, while Castres would be awarded five points – equal to a bonus-point win.

Papé, who has 65 French caps and has played for Stade Francais since 2007, denounced "the death of 136 years of club history". He has been a member of the FFR's Steering Committee since December, following the election of Bernard Laporte as president of the nation's union.

Read more: 125 years of French rugby history swept away in a day