It had been expected, and now it is official. On Monday, on social media, USAP announced in a statement the end of their partnership with head coach Franck Azéma. The split follows a catastrophic start to the season from the Catalans, rock bottom of the league without a single point.

Perpignan are quite simply the worst side in the history of the Top 14 after eight rounds. For comparison, Stade Montois, back in the 2012-2013 season, had at least picked up a point in the seventh round. No win, no losing bonus point and therefore… no more staff at USAP.

After the earlier departures of David Marty and Gérald Bastide, it is now the turn of Franck Azéma, who returned to the club in 2023 after spells at Clermont and Toulon, to pay the price for those poor performances. “Preparation for the next match at Pau is entrusted to the staff in place, led by Mathieu Cidre”, the club wrote in a very cold statement.

Worsley on his way?

“The club will communicate at a later date on the new sporting organisation”, USAP went on, having been working for several weeks on a new staff. According to our colleagues at L’Indépendant, former France backs coach Laurent Labit is in pole position.

The former Montauban, Castres and Racing 92 coach is available after leaving Stade Français last season. He is, again according to our colleagues, in the process of putting together a staff which could include Joe Worsley, the ex-defence coach of UBB, Castres and Brive.

USAP find themselves in serious danger ahead of the ninth round of the Top 14. Beaten without a single bonus point at Montauban in the relegation six-pointer (29-22), Perpignan trail those same Montauban players by seven points. What is more, the Catalans travel to Pau on Saturday, one of the form teams of the early season.

The new staff should be confirmed before long, most likely after the game in the Béarn. It is also worth noting that young hooker Victor Montgaillard is set to join Vannes as a medical joker for Cyril Blanchard, Ici Roussillon reports. The bad news keeps piling up for Perpignan…