• Six Nations

Stade step up Haskell bid

James Haskell has been ordered to return to Paris © Getty Images

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Stade Francais have stepped up their efforts to force England to release flanker James Haskell for their Top 14 showdown with Toulouse at the Stade de France on Saturday.

Stade are locked in a dispute with the RFU over Haskell's availability for the game, insisting that there is no binding reason for the former Wasps player to remain with Martin Johnson's England camp.

Johnson has opted to retain his full starting XV from the defeat to Ireland plus Ben Foden, Louis Deacon and David Wilson, with the remainder of the squad released for Guinness Premiership action.

The RFU has so far maintained that they have an agreement with Stade over player release, but the French giants insist that they are confused, pinpointing an agreement with Toulon over Jonny Wilkinson as the reason for the mix-up.

"This period is not provided for in the IRB's international windows and Stade Francais have a big match against Stade Toulousain on Saturday," read a club statement. "The RFU responded that they will refuse to release Haskell on the grounds that an agreement was signed between them and Stade Francais. No agreement has ever been signed with the RFU, contrary to what they claim. If it is so, the RFU can produce this so-called agreement.

"The RFU have surely confused us with other clubs such as Toulon, who had to accept an agreement for this season relating to Jonny Wilkinson. Therefore, Stade Francais are ordering James Haskell, who has already missed two training sessions, to kindly rejoin his club urgently.

"The RFU have signed agreements with English clubs, whom they reimburse for placing their international players at their disposition outside of IRB international windows. This is not the case for French clubs who, thus, do not have to fund the preparation of the England team."

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