Benazzi Jr. moves on

By Jason Harris
July 14 2002

Khalid Benazzi, younger brougher of fellow Sarries lock forward Abdelatif, has left the Men in Black and decided to return to France.

The 32-year-old Moroccan international has joined Blagnac in Federal 1 (equivalent to England's Division 2) after his one year deal with Sarries expired.

Benazzi played ten times during his season in England after joining from French Top 16 outfit Perigueux.

Meanwhile, as the future of Khalid is settled, there is still speculation surrounding what will happen to elder brother Abdel.

After being seen sitting next to Sale supremo Brian Kennedy at their Zurich Championship game against London Wasps at the beginning of June, it was rumoured that the French international wanted to leave Sarries in order to play in the Heineken Cup with the Sharks and also to try and regain his place in the national side in time for the 2003 World Cup.

Sarries CEO Peter Deakin said in a press conference on 6 June that the former Agen player's position at the club was "untenable" after the revelations about his trip to Cheshire. Deakin claimed that it was up to Benazzi and Sale Sharks to bring an offer to the table but he had not, up until that time, received any contact from either player or club.

Since that conference and Benazzi's appearance at the Saracens Gala Dinner the following day, he had been in France after a family bereavement and there have been no further reports on whether he will see out the remaining year on his contract with Saracens.

All will be revealed on Monday at Bramley Road when the Sarries squad begins pre-season training. It will be very interesting to see whether Abdel Benazzi will be there, along with Christian Califano whose compensation wrangle with Stade Toulousain still goes on and is due to be settled in a Toulouse court on 22 July.

Besides the attendance of the two French international veterans, we will finally know who's stayed, who's left and who's arrived in the Saracens set-up. Still to be confirmed are the arrival of Morgan Williams, the departures of Luke Smith, Ben Cole and Pierre Durant and whether Fijian stand-off Nicky Little really is leaving Pontypridd to join the Men in Black.

thesaracens.com will be at Bramley Road on Monday and will bring you all the information on the makeup of Wayne Shelford's squad for the 2002-03 campaign.