Ex-France captain Benazzi quits Montpellier

Montpellier - Former France rugby captain Abdelatif Benazzi on Tuesday parted company with French Top 14 side Montpellier, where he has held a management role for the past year.

The 48-year-old, capped 78 times for France, leaves before the end of his contract in June 2017, the club said in a statement.

"Abdelatif Benazzi's mission within Montpellier Herault Rugby has ended," the statement read.

The former lock and backrow forward, who played for Agen before finishing his career at English side Saracens in 2003, joined Montpellier in 2015 after the exit of another former France player Fabien Galthie and the appointment of South African coach Jake White.

White will be replaced at the end of the season by New Zealand coach Vern Cotter.