Haskell being treated like a 'hostage'
Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:36
Tug-of-war: Stade and England flank James Haskell
Stade Francais owner Max Guazzini has accused the RFU of treating James Haskell like a ‘hostage’,
This comes after Stade Francais' request for him to be released by England to play in the Top14 was refused, even though there is no Six Nations rugby this weekend.
Haskell finds himself in the middle of the dispute that could see his club threaten action against him for a breach of contract, as the RFU stand by their claims that they are under no obligation to release him.
After co-operating with England up until this pint the French club have now had enough as they face an injury crisis in the back row that Haskell's inclusion would help to alleviate.
"Under IRB law nine, international players are available to national teams for certain periods in the year and this week is not one of those periods," Guazzini told the Daily Mail.
"There are players from Scotland and Italy back at clubs this week so why should England decide to treat James Haskell like a hostage?
"It’s not true that we've signed an agreement with the RFU. We have never signed any agreement with them. We let James join England for a week before the November Tests and for a week before the Six Nations. We have shown respect to England but the RFU have not shown us any.
"We have a big problem here. The RFU don't pay the French clubs - we pay the player and we need James Haskell because this is a very important match for us.
"There’s no problem with other countries - the French players are all here, the Italians, the Scottish. It’s only a problem with England. I cannot understand why they are taking this position."
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