 | |||
| Full name | Section Paloise | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | La Section Les Sectionnistes | ||
| Founded | 1902 | ||
| Location | Pau, France | ||
| Ground(s) | Stade du Hameau (Capacity: 14,999) | ||
| President | Bernard Pontneau | ||
| Director of Rugby | Sébastien Piqueronies | ||
| Coach(es) | Thomas Domingo Geoffrey Leanne-Petit Thomas Choveau | ||
| Captain(s) | Luke Whitelock | ||
| Most appearances | Robert Paparemborde | ||
| League(s) | Top 14 | ||
| 2023–24 | 9th | ||
| |||
| Official website | |||
| www | |||
Section Paloise, often referred to simply as la Section or Pau, is a professional rugby union club based in Pau, France. They are participants in the Top 14, France's premier rugby division, and also compete in the EPCR Challenge Cup.[1]
Their home matches are played at the Stade du Hameau, following 80 years of hosting games at the Stade de la Croix du Prince (1910-1990). The club boasts an impressive history, having clinched the Bouclier de Brennus three times in 1928, 1946 and 1964 along with securing the European Challenge in 2000.
Section Paloise has also earned victories in the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1939, 1952 and 1997. Additionally, they claimed the French Pro D2 title in 2015.
As a formidable presence in French rugby, the club has become a cherished symbol of Béarn culture and heritage. The official anthem of Section Paloise is "Honhada," a tradition that began in March 2012.[2] The lyrics of this anthem were composed to the tune of the famous Scottish ballad The water is wide.
Significantly, la Section enjoys sponsorship from the renowned French petroleum company, TotalEnergies. This partnership holds historical significance for Pau, as it traces back to the origins of Elf Aquitaine, stemming from the Lacq gas field. Elf Aquitaine subsequently evolved into Total. To this day, TotalEnergies maintains its presence with offices in Pau, playing a vital role as one of the city's primary employers.[3]
Several recent French rugby internationals, including Imanol Harinordoquy, Damien Traille, Lionel Beauxis or Antoine Hastoy started their professional club careers with Section. The club has also been a welcoming home to rugby legends such as Conrad Smith and Colin Slade or Sam Whitelock after the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Throughout the years, Section has featured English players like Steffon Armitage and currently fields talents like Dan Robson and Joe Simmonds.
Current French internationals playing for Section include Hugo Auradou, Théo Attissogbé, and Émilien Gailleton.
- ^ Fallon, John (2018-10-13). "Irish rugby's own flight of the wild geese". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ L'hymne de la Section : La Honhada, 23 October 2013, retrieved 2023-01-19
- ^ "TotalEnergies and the Section Paloise: more than 30 years of shared history". TotalEnergies.com. Retrieved 2023-09-12.