1
Top 14 2020/21 club-by-club season preview: Pau
Pau have never finished higher than eighth since they were promoted to the Top 14 in 2015. Survival is probably the best they can hope for this time around, too. Here’s why…
Key signing
Mike Harris: To lose one kicking fly-half option was unfortunate, to lose two – in Colin Slade and Tom Taylor – could have been a disaster. The experienced Harris has been brought to take some of the weight of expectation off the shoulders of talented 23-year-old Antoine Hastoy.
Key departure
Colin Slade: The All Black quickly became a firm favourite when he joined the club after the 2015 World Cup, with his gutsy, fearless style. It’s a shame injury and Covid meant that he couldn’t get the send off he deserved before his move to Japan.
ADVERTISEMENT
https://twitter.com/SectionPaloise/status/1301461443917750272
They say
“There is an element that we cannot estimate: we know how to prepare players, but we do not know how this long break will affect the organisation (of the club).”
– President Bernard Pontneau, France Bleu
We say
We could point to the fact that Pau have not finished higher than eighth since winning promotion to the Top 14 back in 2015. We could say that their twelfth place finish in the coronavirus-shortened 2019/20 season only came courtesy of a win over Montpellier in what turned out to be the final round of the campaign that saw them overtake Stade Francais and Agen. We could also highlight Pau’s start to the season. After five rounds, they were third. They had won at Clermont and given Toulouse a real fright at Ernest Wallon.
Technical difficulties
Then it all went very wrong. A big loss at home to Racing exposed a major technical fault. Pau gave up ten lineouts that day and it turned into a chronic, season-long problem, one that Matt Philip and medical joker signing Steve Cummins have been brought in to solve.
In the end, the best we can say about Pau’s 2019/20 season is that they survived. The most accurate thing we can say is it was tough. Wins over Castres at home and Bayonne on the road just about kept their heads above water. But during a seven-match losing streak that came to define their season, they lost at home to Toulon, Bordeaux, La Rochelle and Clermont as the fortress at Hameau crumbled.
Coaching conundrum
It was always odd. The coaching staff – led by Nicolas Godignon and Frederic Manca and assisted by Conrad Smith, who is now the club’s development director, Thomas Domingo (scrum), and Paul Tito (lineout) – appeared to have all the attributes, but the team sputtered and died after a decent enough start.
Matt Philip, Harris and Hugo Bonneval are all decent signings, but there is no denying that losing Slade is a major blow despite his final season turning out to be a sparse and difficult one in which he only played five times due to injury. He scored 568 points in 84 outings in Pau colours.
It all leads to the near inevitable conclusion that Pau will again be struggling at the wrong end of the table at the business end of the 2020/21 season.
Arrivals
Matt Philip, Tamua Manu, Mike Harris, Hugo Bonneval, Aminiasi Tuimaba, Eliott Roudil, Steve Cummins (medical joker)
Departures
Dominiko Waqaniburotu, Colin Slade, Tom Taylor, Pierre Nueno, Ben Smith, Bastien Pourailly
"If you go to Pau, you don’t get rotated too much because every game’s a must-win."
Colin Slade spoke to @TomVinicombe about how unbearably tough the Top 14 could get when you're playing four seasons of the year. #SuperRugby #Top14Rugby #AllBlackshttps://t.co/Jjmx7nsWjr
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 20, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Blackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
9 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
9 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
2 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
2 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
9 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
9 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
9 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
9 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
9 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
9 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to comments