"Eight straight defeats" - Perpignan sack head coach Franck Azema after woeful start to Top 14

Thursday, 30 October 2025 at 10:22

byTom Sansom

Perpignan have parted ways with head coach Franck Azema following a disastrous start to the Top 14 season that has seen the Catalan club lose all eight of their opening matches. The 2009 French champions sit bottom of the table with zero points, prompting the board to act swiftly in hopes of halting the club’s alarming slide.

In a short statement released on Monday, Perpignan confirmed:

“We confirm the sacking of Franck Azema. The next game will be overseen by the back-up staff, led by Mathieu Cidre.”

Azema’s dismissal follows Saturday’s 29-22 defeat to fellow strugglers Montauban, a result described in French media as “the game of fear.” The loss handed Montauban their first win of the season and left Perpignan as the only side in the division yet to record a victory.

Last season, the club narrowly avoided relegation after finishing second from bottom but managed nine wins from 26 games. Hopes were high following a busy summer of recruitment, yet performances have failed to match expectations.

Azema, who previously guided Clermont Auvergne to the Top 14 title in 2017, had been in charge since 2021 but was unable to inspire a turnaround this term. Perpignan now face a daunting trip to third-placed Pau this weekend, with interim boss Mathieu Cidre tasked with lifting morale and steering the club toward their first points of the campaign.