Pau did not head very far to prepare for the Top 14 play-off they will play against Racing 92 on Saturday (21:05). Since Tuesday morning, the Béarn side have been based at the magnificent Isle Verte sports centre in Soustons (Landes). After another high-intensity training session, the squad will head back to Pau on Thursday afternoon.

Like plenty of others before them – UBB, Bayonne and the France sevens side among them -, Section Paloise decided to spend a few days in Soustons, in a more than ideal setting. The current fourth-placed team also had the good fortune to go through their drills under the Landes sun. Heat that must have suited sevens players Grégoire Arfeuil and Josselin Bouhier, fresh from winning the world series round in Bordeaux.

Reshuffle at the back

In the Landes, the Green and Whites went on something close to a bonding camp. Card games, walks and a quick stop at the “Baraketa” restaurant in Hossegor on Wednesday.

Relaxed at first and then focused ahead of the knockout tie against the Racingmen, Sébastien Piqueronies’ players were watched by a good crowd of onlookers, rugby lovers and even club supporters. There were one or two flags in Section colours, those green caps and also a youngster with a ball covered in autographs. A few officials from AS Soustons, who play in Fédérale 1, were also there, as were David and Paul Auradou, respectively the father and brother of lock Hugo.

Around the touchline railing, a few questions were being asked. “Will Whitelock play?” or “who is going to replace Jack Maddocks?”. While the first of those should start in the back row alongside Zegueur and Gorgadze, the second will not be there. Injured, the Australian will hand his place to Théo Attissogbe at full-back. Flying wings Grandidier-Nkanang and Arfeuil should also be selected. The English pair of Dan Robson and Joe Simmonds could be calling the shots.

Up front, the pack should not be short of weight with Montoya, Laclayat and Maximin involved. The answers on the team selection will be revealed on Friday. In any case, this spell in the Landes will have served to bind the group together before Saturday’s date with destiny, in a sold-out Hameau.