Heyneke felt 'stripped of his humanity' at Stade Francais

Cape Town - Heyneke Meyer quit as Stade Francais coach because his relationship with the players broke down.

According to Afrikaans newspaper Rapport, sources close to the former Springbok coach said he felt "stripped of his humanity" because of the soured relationship with the players.

Meyer quit as Stade coach last week after the Paris-based club lost seven of their opening nine matches to sit bottom of the French Top 14 standings.

Just the week before, Stade's billionaire owner Hans-Peter Wild gave his full support for Meyer.

In an interview with French sports daily Lequipe, Wild said he did not regret appointing Meyer as head coach last year.

"Heyneke realised he couldn't succeed at Stade Francais. He assured me that, thanked me and said: 'My staff and I are facing a wall. Communication with the players has broken down'.

"Heyneke instructed the players to play a certain game plan against Racing, but the players did not respect it. They did the opposite," Wild said after of 25-9 home loss to Racing 92.

Wild added that the Stade players were not fit for top-level rugby.

Meyer's assistants - ex-France prop Pieter de Villiers, South Africans Dewald Senekal, Ricardo Loubscher and English defence coach John McFarland - have also left the club.

- Compiled by Herman Mostert