The bitter row between Stade Francais and the English Rugby Football Union over James Haskell has overshadowed the French side's build-up to a crucial Top 14 game against Toulouse this weekend.
Stade's request to have Haskell released from England duty on what is a blank Six Nations weekend was flatly turned down by the RFU, who insisted there was an agreement allowing them to hold on to the 24-year-old flanker.
This triggered a furious reaction from Stade Francais president Max Guazzini who said on Thursday: "We never signed such a deal with the RFU. They are holding the player to ransom, telling him 'if you return, we'll kick you off the national team'.
"These are astonishing moves by people who are hiding behind the rules. After all, it's not our fault if England were beaten by Ireland at Twickenham!"
According to Guazzini, Haskell's contract stipulates that the player "must be released one week before the autumn test matches and one week before the Six Nations Championship, which was what we did".
He continued: "But now they've overstepped the rules.
"We've contacted the Six Nations organisers to demand that England is punished as the damage is real for us."
In another blow for the capital club, prop David Attoub has had his 70-week suspension for eye-gouging upheld by an independent appeals panel.
He was suspended from rugby until April 22, 2011, for gouging Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris during Stade's 13-23 European Cup loss to Ulster in Belfast on December 12.
Stade's encounter with Toulouse at a sold-out Stade de France is crucial, with Guazzini's team lying seventh in the table, one place outside the top six sides that will qualify for the end of season play-offs, and five points behind Racing-Metro.
Toulouse are fourth, with six matches remaining.
Saturday's programme also features leaders Castres, who host play-off chasing eighth-placed Brive, and Biarritz at Toulon, while on Friday second-placed Perpignan visit third-placed Clermont in a repeat of last year's play-off final won by Perpignan.
Both sides welcome back a host of internationals fresh from France's 26-20 Six Nations win over Wales which has kept the national team on course for the Grand Slam.
Clermont boast six France players -- Thomas Domingo, Julien Pierre, Julien Bonnaire, Alexandre Lapandry, Morgan Parra and Julien Malzieu -- with Perpignan featuring two in the form of Nicolas Mas and David Marty.
Perpignan prop Mas commented: "It's only normal that the international players return to their clubs, they are our employers. But it'll be a little strange. We've just had one month together and now we're on opposite sides."
Fixtures (GMT)
Friday (1945)
Clermont v Perpignan
Saturday (1330 unless stated)
Castres v Brive, Bayonne v Albi, Bourgoin v Montauban, Toulon v Biarritz, Stade Francais v Toulouse (1525), Montpellier v Racing-Metro (1945)
Copyright 2010 AFP Global Edition
