Bernard Laporte resigned as president of the French Rugby Federation on Friday as his hopes of returning to power in time for the Rugby World Cup crumbled.
The former France head coach stepped back from his latest position with the federation (FFR) in December after being given a two-year suspended prison sentence and a €75,000 fine for corruption.
He denied wrongdoing and intends to appeal against his court punishments, which meant the FFR did not immediately oust Laporte and instead decided to render him effectively powerless pending the attempt to clear his name.
Sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera called for Laporte to go in December, however, and he chose to permanently step down in the wake of clubs this week voting against his choice of president-delegate, Patrick Buisson.
Around 2,000 clubs took part in the vote, with 51.06 per cent saying they did not approve of Laporte proposing Buisson for the interim role.
The Rugby World Cup gets under way in France in September, and Laporte, president since 2016, had appeared eager to be back in charge of the FFR by then.
Les Bleus won the Grand Slam last year, and Laporte departs just eight days before the 2023 Six Nations begins.
Reports said Laporte delivered news of his resignation to the FFR executive committee on Friday morning at a meeting in Marcoussis, on the outskirts of Paris.
Oudea-Castera later told reporters: "I can give you confirmation of the resignation of Bernard Laporte. I welcome this decision, it was necessary at the end of this consultation in which the clubs were massively mobilised.
"The ethics committee played its role of supervision in this time of consultation which went well with dignified debates. Bernard Laporte drew the conclusions, which is a good thing for French rugby, its values and the future."
Laporte stepped down from his role as vice-chairman of World Rugby within hours of his conviction in December, which also saw him banned from rugby involvement for two years pending the outcome of any appeal.
Laporte was released without charge on Tuesday of this week after being detained as part of a tax fraud investigation.
His lawyer, Jean-Pierre Versini-Campinchi, told the AFP news agency that Laporte had "neither been accused of having defrauded nor of having received any money".
Marcus Thuram on brother Khephren's France call-up: 'I was more proud for him than for me'
Marcus and Khephren Thuram have expressed pride at their joint call-up to the France squad.
The brothers faced the media at France's Clairefontaine base ahead of Friday's Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands.
The pair follow in the footsteps of the Hernandez brothers, Lucas and Theo, in becoming the latest siblings to be called up by coach Didier Deschamps.
And Marcus, who starred at the 2022 World Cup, explained he was actually prouder of Khephren's debut call-up than this own.
"I learned about his selection at the same time as him," the Borussia Monchengladbach forward said. "I called him immediately. I was more proud for him than for me.
"He is a very serious person, he impresses me, and he will still improve."
The son of 1998 World Cup winner Lilian as well as Marcus' brother, Khephren is keen to forge his own reputation.
He said: "I haven't been in anyone's shadow. It's a source of pride and happiness to have a brother like Marcus. He is a very jovial person, and he has confidence in his qualities.
"I know he knows he can reach much, much higher, and he is working for that."
Ahead of the Netherlands game, Kylian Mbappe was named as the new France captain following the retirement of Hugo Lloris after the World Cup.
It is a decision team-mate Marcus supported as he said: "He's a charismatic leader on and off the pitch. He can be a unifying captain."
The Thuram brothers both feature in an exciting new generation for France, with Marcus explaining: "We are players with a lot of self-confidence. We don't ask ourselves unnecessary questions when we enter the field.
"Randal Kolo Muani was not supposed to be at the World Cup, and he came into the final and almost won it. This is a reckless generation that is not afraid of much."
Marcus is expected to leave Gladbach when his contract expires at the end of the season, with Lilian set to have a say on his next move.
"He has the place of a dad, but he knows a little about it," the forward said. "His word carries weight, I'm happy to have someone like him by my side.
"He will have a major place in the choices to come."
Could Marcus and Khephren play together for club as well as country then?
"We all have different careers," Marcus answered. "If we have to play together in a club, it will be with pleasure, but it's not an obsession."
Khephren added: "It's perfect to have him next to me, because I let him answer when I don't know what to say."
Controversial Steward red card overturned
England fullback Freddie Steward has been cleared to play for his country with immediate effect after the red card he received against Ireland was overturned.
Steward was dismissed in England's final Six Nations clash of this year's tournament as they lost 29-16 to Grand Slam winners Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
The 22-year-old received the contentious red near the end of the first half after his shoulder connected with the head of Hugo Keenan.
Steward appeared before an independent disciplinary committee via video link to protest his innocence.
The committee determined that head contact with an opposing player had occurred and believed it had been an act of foul play, adding Steward "had been reckless in his actions and in his upright positioning as he approached and came into highly dangerous contact with the other player".
However, it was also decided that "there were sufficient mitigating factors including the late change in the dynamics and positioning of the opposing player which should have resulted in the issue of a yellow card rather than a red card".
The decision means Steward will not face a ban and is free to play again immediately.
England captain Owen Farrell said after the game: "I was surprised [at the red card] if I am honest. But it is not up to us, we don't make the rules, we don't put them in place, we don't hear what goes on on the ref mic and the process that they go through.
"That is the decision they came to and you have to accept it."
New Zealand rushed Robertson appointment, says Hansen
New Zealand would have been better off biding their time before announcing Ian Foster's replacement, according to former head coach Steve Hansen.
The All Blacks confirmed on Tuesday that Crusaders coach Scott Robertson will succeed Foster after this year's Rugby World Cup in France.
Robertson, who lost out to Foster on the position when Hansen stood down four years ago, has been handed a deal that will run through until after the next World Cup in 2027.
Foster revealed earlier this month he would not be reapplying for the job when his contract expires in November.
The 57-year-old questioned New Zealand Rugby (NZR)'s decision to find his successor while their tournament preparations are in full swing.
NZR said "significant competition for elite coaching talent" forced them to act now, but Hansen believes that decision may backfire.
"I think they got burned last time so they were worried about that," he told The Platform podcast. "What they didn't take into account was everybody had their coaching sorted.
"In my opinion, they would have been better to wait, but in their opinion they wanted to push the button and they've done that.
"They're in charge of New Zealand Rugby, so it's them that die and fall on these decisions.
"Just like coaches there's got to be repercussions if it doesn't work. If it does work, well they've been super."
Robertson played 23 Tests for New Zealand and has been praised for his work since moving into coaching, having won six successive Super Rugby titles with Crusaders.
That made Robertson an obvious contender to take over as the All Blacks' next head coach, but Hansen questioned NZR's handling of the situation.
"It doesn't come as a surprise because he's been offered the job. [Foster] fought back and maintained it [last year]. He was obviously the prime candidate," Hansen said.
"I don't know who else applied and they're not telling us, so I think [NZR's] leading us in the dark whether there was more than one candidate or not."
New Zealand, who are third in the rankings, begin their Rugby World Cup campaign against hosts France before facing Namibia, Italy and Uruguay.
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