Fabien Fortassin should indeed stay at Valence-Romans. In a statement published on Friday, the Drôme club were keen to deny a rumour about a possible move for their manager Fabien Fortassin to the Brive staff next season.

The suggestion was that the former Tarbes, Montauban, Racing 92, La Rochelle and Biarritz fly-half would bolster the future Corrèze staff around Grégory Patat. It will not happen.

“As the club prepares to fight one of the most important battles of its season on this very Friday 27 March in the race for qualification, it notes these rumours, and wishes to point out for all useful purposes that Fabien FORTASSIN, an essential figure in the playing and club project developed since his arrival from Tarbes in 2023, is tied to VRDR by a firm contract running until 30 June 2027“, said Laurent Beaugiraud and Jean-Pierre Cheval, the presidents of VRDR.

Crucial match against Oyonnax

Before concluding: “Accordingly, no discussion with a view to any release of Fabien Fortassin is under way, neither with the Brive club nor with anyone else, and all the club’s energies are focused on a single objective: finishing this 2025-2026 season, the tenth of its existence, in the finest possible manner, and securing for the first time in its history a place in the play-offs“.

On Friday night, Valence-Romans play a decisive match in the fight for qualification against Oyonnax.