Paris (AFP)

Stade Français is not in crisis! Players like the coach of the Top 14's red lantern assure him in chorus, but the bad results put pressure on the coach, after many upheavals for two years.

Playing times are linked to Jean-Bouin Friday, two days before the match of the 7th day against Toulon. Movement, players cheering on, with former Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer paying attention to the synthetic grass set up this summer to produce beautiful play: a seemingly normal preparation.

"The group lives very well, we get on well together," said Lucas Da Silva, 21, first line and first to appear before the press on Friday. "We thought the right thing" after the slap against Castres last weekend (46-16), abounds the scrum half Arthur Coville, 21, including three at the club. Two players symbols of the Parisian formation erected priority.

Rumors about the departure of the coach? "I do not know," begins Arthur Coville. "It's in every newspaper, but we do not read it."

Yet it is the institution Stade Français pitching, second budget of the Top 14 with 35 million euros, and yet last, with only one victory in six days.

"I have nine players at the World Cup, injured and a young team," said Heyneke Meyer, who does not consider it "an excuse". "It's not a crisis, I have experienced worse," added the South African.

The schedule of the club until December can also feed the hopes of a rebound: after Toulon, 6th, the Parisians will go to Agen, welcome their rivals Racing, then move to Brive, three teams currently between the 9th and 11th square.

- Loss of identity -

Proof of the floating, the owner of the club, billionaire businessman Hans-Peter Wild, confirmed his involvement by assuming the role of president on 18 September after the resignation of Hubert Patricot.

Further changes to the club's organizational chart are announced, including the arrival of Thomas Lombard, who recognized Sunday in the Canal Rugby Club "discussions", or other leads leading to the New Zealand coach Vern Cotter , today in Montpellier or a return of former coach Gonzalo Quesada, currently under contract with the Jaguares franchise in Argentina.

Since the Swiss took over the club in June 2017 after a year marked by the failure of the merger with Racing, the results have not lived up to its ambition and its investments: 12th of the Top 14 in May 2018, 8th in May 2019, and thus far from the final stages.

Executive players like Djibril Camara or Alexandre Flanquart, less used, no longer maintained good relations with the coach and left this summer, just like Captain Sergio Parisse, captain and other legendary figure of the club, who will join Toulon after the World Cup. This fueled the fear of the loss of identity of the club, despite the arrival of the former hooker and Fabien Galthie's assistant, Fabrice Landreau, as deputy sports director in January.

"There are still elders," says Arthur Coville. "(The winger) Julien Arias is here to remind him, (the third line) Antoine Burban is injured but he is still there, (the hooker, also wounded) Remi Bonfils, (the opening half) Jules Plisson, (the center) Jonathan Danty: they lived the big hours, they shined with the French Stadium, they have the recipe and are there to remind us. "

© 2019 AFP