The mayor of Béziers Robert Mesnard announced Thursday that the Irish investment fund Strangford Capital had bought the club, which is currently playing in Pro D2. Former All Black Andrew Mehrtens, already passed by ASBH, is one of the co-presidents.
Béziers goes under Irish flag, Andrew Mehrtens among the future new co-presidents of the club. Before looking at the London Irish buyout file, Strangford Capital offers the Béziers club. Thursday afternoon, Robert Ménard, the mayor of the city, announced during a press conference held at the Raoul-Barrière stadium that the Irish investment fund had taken over the ASBH to the tune of 75% of the shares.
Behind this project led by the Irish consortium are three men, all very well known to the world of sport in particular rugby: Andrew Mehrtens, Bob Skinstad and Eddie Jordan. The first, whose name inevitably speaks to the supporters of the Biterrois club for having already played in Béziers (during the 2010-2011 season) but having also been the coach, for two years, between 2011 and 2013, was present Thursday during this press conference which allowed Ménard, visibly delighted with this acquisition, and the ASBH to formalize a sale which had already appeared to be behind the scenes.
Mertens alongside Skinstad and (still) Bachès
The former All Black will be one of the co-presidents of this new era Béziers. To support it, Mertens can count on another big name of rugby: the old third line of Sprigboks Bob Skinstad. The latter will discover France after a career which he has fully spent at home in South Africa.
The teamPresent on the spot Thursday, tells us that Mehrtens assured that his will by taking control of the current 7th in the pro D2 classification but semi-finalist of the last exercise was in no way to proceed to a good and due form. The New Zealander who had won two years in a row (2008 and 2009) the title of French Pro D2 champion with Racing 92 thus suggested that he wanted to maintain the current director general of the Arthur Bachès club.
