A French rugby club has issued a statement after violence broke out in the stands during a heated derby, with one of its coaches among those assaulted.
The incident occurred during the Languedoc derby between Béziers and Narbonne in Pro D2. It marked the return of the fixture to France's second tier following Narbonne's promotion.
The two clubs are separated by less than 15 minutes, making the fixture one of the fiercest local derbies in the Occitania region.
Béziers claimed a 34-24 victory, but the match was overshadowed by a serious incident in the north stand, where the visiting Narbonne supporters were located.
Supporters from Béziers allegedly began causing trouble by moving around the stadium and provoking the away fans, who had displayed a giant orange and black jersey from the beginning of the match.
A cigarette was then allegedly used to set fire to the giant jersey, with burning material subsequently thrown towards the pitch.
Laurent Maselli, a coach at the Narbonne rugby school, was reportedly assaulted in front of his seven-year-old son.
Security forces intervened and prevented the situation from escalating further. No other incidents were reported and the match continued without interruption. One spectator claimed to have seen "people covered in blood."
Following the match, AS Béziers Hérault and RC Narbonne each released statements condemning the violence.
Narbonne offered its full support to Maselli and the supporters who were targeted, while Béziers confirmed it would launch a full investigation alongside security officials to identify those responsible.
Narbonne's statement read:
"First and foremost, we wish to express our support to all Narbonne supporters present in this stand, to our supporters' groups, as well as to the families and children who may have witnessed or been victims of these events.
"Racing Club Narbonnais also wishes to express its full support for Laurent Maselli, a coach at our club, who was a victim during these incidents.
"The club stands firmly by his side and offers him and his family its complete solidarity.
"We deeply regret that such events could have disrupted what was meant to be, above all, a celebration of rugby."
