Racing 92 and Stade Francais have announced that their proposed merger is off.

The Top 14 champions have had a dismal start to their domestic campaign, and with Leicester and Munster in their opening Champions Cup fixtures, the pressure’s on for coach Gonzalo Quesada.

Johnny Sexton’s two-year Parisian adventure could end abruptly tonight if he cannot steer his Racing Metro colleagues past city rivals Stade Francais in the French Top 14 play-offs.