Thousands of people have lost everything or are fearing for their homes. The fires in Gironde keep spreading, evacuations follow one after another, and faces tighten a little more each day as the scale of the damage sinks in.

The Bidaus chose to act. Alexandre and Mattieu Bidau, who play for Pessac Alouette (Promotion R3) and Langon (Nationale 2) respectively, backed by their loyal cousin Maxime Caumont, another utility man in the Pessac side, are hard at work helping a lifelong friend: Alexandre Chaigneau.

His house, in Marcheprime, is no longer far from the flames. The battling Pessac Alouette player, a clubmate too, can count on his mates, who with basic kit at best are giving everything to save his home. Alongside the firefighters, the rugby players hold their positions, take turns in rotation, pass information up the line and try, at their own level, to hold back the blaze.

On Sunday they managed to bring the fire under control before it flared up again in the evening. But they will not let go. The “values” of rugby, so often mocked, make full sense today. Mutual support, team spirit, solidarity and friendship. The Gironde rugby players have a match to win, and at the end of it, perhaps one of the finest victories of all.