Stuart Lancaster's Racing 92 offically add France star to books
Paris-based Top 14 club Racing 92 unveiled a significant addition to their roster on Wednesday, announcing that 25-year-old French prop Demba Bamba will be joining their ranks from Lyon in the upcoming season.
Although the deal may have been negotiated before new head coach Stuart Lancaster taking up the reins in Paris, the tighthead's transfer certainly underscores Racing 92's commitment to strengthening their squad ahead of what will be a Top 14 season interrupted by the Rugby World Cup.
With 26 Test appearances under his belt, the versatile tight-head prop marked his presence on the international stage earlier this month. Bamba's prowess has also earned him a place as a valuable backup in Les Bleus' squad for the imminent World Cup, set to kick off on September 8.
In a statement issued by Racing 92, Bamba expressed his motivations behind the move, stating, "My main desire was not guided by the financial side of things but to rediscover my family circle and an attractive rugby project. I’m delighted to be able to combine these two things in the best way."
Born in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, Bamba's rugby journey saw him rise from local beginnings to become a force to reckon with in the Top 14. After making his mark with Brive, he reached a pinnacle by clinching the World Rugby Under-20 Championship title in 2018.
Latest Comments
Great piece Nick, plenty to chew on. Loved this ‘biases’ line from Geoff, shows he is a thinker - “If you asked me for a shortlist of coaches who appealed to my biases, he would be on it.” I think Schmidt is towing a similar line to Rennie in regards to OS players, he is publicly saying he prefers local talent, but almost certainly will be fighting to have the likes of skelton in the team. Interesting to hear the backroom on the rebels and what a cockup that is, just when you think RA admin has hit rock bottom it digs deeper. Other bit that caught my eye was his skills focus on things like passing from 7s at the base of the lineout, great little details. but also scary that a SR level 8 didn’t know how to operate within a lineout - telling!
Go to commentsShannon Frizell’s second year is optional is how I heard it. Given nothing has been confirmed yet it gets more and more likely he signs to return next year. Cant wait to see Finau doing more work on Internal players.
Go to comments