Earlier this year the very future of one of France’s most decorated sides, Stade Francais, was far from certain.
There was the failed merger with city rivals Racing 92 that wasn’t actually a merger. It was – would have been, had it succeeded – a takeover. A ravenous mutating Racing behemoth was ready to pick over the tastiest morsels of once-mighty Stade.
James Harrington: Freelance sports journalist 