According to reports from French journalist Tanguy Scigala, Racing 92 head coach Stuart Lancaster has informed the Parisian players this Monday morning that he will depart the club.
The same news was reported shortly after by Sur Radio Rugby, who said that a meeting occurred between Lancaster and the players this morning.
Lancaster, who previously coached both England and Leinster moved to the Top-14 side from Dublin at the end of last season, with South African coach Jacques Nienaber joining Leo Cullen's ticket as his replacement.
However, unlike his tenure in Leinster where Lancaster was much loved by the staff, fans and players, Stuart Lancaster has struggled to gain the affection of any of the above since making the move to Paris.
Racing 92 have had a largely disappointing start to the Top 14, winning just five of their opening twelve league games, a poor record only worsened by last weekend’s loss to a flailing Montpellier side and Lancaster's insistence on starting his own son at outhalf.
According to the reports, Lancaster will stay in place until after St. Stephens' Day and then leave the club next week.
20 May 2023; Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster before the Heineken Champions Cup final match between Leinster and La Rochelle at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
What’s next for Stuart Lancaster?
Lancaster's reported departure comes amid mounting speculation that the Englishman could be interested in throwing his hat in the ring for the currently vacant Munster job.
Just last week England legend Andy Goode said on The Rugby Pod, that he'd learned Lancaster was pushing hard to be considered for the Munster role.
Goode's claim was just the latest in a long line of reports which had linked Lancaster with a return to Ireland following Graham Rowntree's departure before the November Internationals. Rowntree departed the province before the internationals under a guise of mystery having been the province's most successful coach of the past decade.
While initially the departure rocked Munster Rugby to the core, the executive have since steadied the ship with a number of key coaching signings including the extension of Mike Prendergast and Denis Leamy's contracts.
So far attack coach Mike Prendergast had been considered the favourite to assume Graham Rowntree's responsibility, with Felix Jones' recent release from his England contract also making him an option for Munster.
However, today's news from Racing, and Lacanster's reported interest in returning to Ireland will certainly raise eyebrows down in Munster Rugby.
During a stellar seven-year stint at Leinster, Lancaster won the 2018 Champions Cup final, coached Leinster to another three European finals and claimed four league titles as well as earning the adoration of the club's players who have spoken nothing but positively about him.
SEE ALSO: Connacht Boss Goes To Bat For Mack Hansen After Controversial Comments
