Laurent Travers firmly denied this, on October 24, on the Racing 92 website. Philippe Tayeb had just done the same, a few hours earlier in “Sud Ouest”: “I don’t know where this rumor came from , indicated the president of Aviron Bayonnais. There is absolutely nothing, neither for now nor for the end of the season. » However, according to our information, the current chairman of the board of Racing 92 will join the Basque club in the role of director of rugby. The former manager of the Ile-de-France club, French champion in 2016, would take up his duties next season. He even informed Jacky Lorenzetti, chairman of the supervisory board, who would not have liked the news, he who had promoted him alongside him in management in the summer of 2023.
On the Bayonne side, we do not confirm the information. We just confine ourselves to saying, internally, that he is one of “two, three potential candidates”. And for good reason, the idea was not to spread the news before the board of directors (CA) at the end of January. Previously, the club’s general assembly must elect the new management team, and the new president, this Monday, December 23 in Jean-Dauger. Unless there are any surprises, the CA should be completely renewed, and expanded to twelve members, compared to ten currently. And Philippe Tayeb re-elected at its head for a four-year term.
Compatible ?
Laurent Travers, who could arrive accompanied by a major financial partner, would occupy a “transversal” function between Philippe Tayeb and manager Grégory Patat. The Bayonne leaders had a hard time being overtaken on several transfers at the start of the season (Mateo Garcia, Thibaud Lanen, Beka Gorgadze, etc.). For them, their project is credible. But it would be even more so with a “name” to represent it. Hence the choice of Laurent Travers.
How will he be received by the staff, led by Grégory Patat? The current manager did not necessarily want the presence of a person above him. And if that was the case, he wanted to be involved in the choice. However, he discovered that of Laurent Travers in the press last October, before requesting a meeting with his president on this subject. Did he reassure him? The Gersois insisted on clearly defining the scope of each person’s skills. His, the land. Problem: the current president of Racing 92 has never hidden his desire to get closer to the green rectangle.
Under contract until 2026, like all of his staff, Grégory Patat wanted to validate his contract extension in the coming weeks. Philippe Tayeb spoke about the next offseason. For the moment, the technician is within the nails set by his president: the top 8. Before going to Vannes, this Saturday at 4:30 p.m., Aviron Bayonnais occupies fifth place in the championship.
