A little corner of the All Blacks in the Top 14

History shows that great New Zealand players have and continue to pass through Bjarne. And it’s not dangerous…

All Blacks players, especially the more popular ones, are talented enough to export themselves wherever they want on the planet. But for quite a few of them, they would love to settle in the Atlantic Pyrenees. In particular in Pau. So how can we explain this close connection between these powerful rugby players and the region? Department head Bernard Ponto has his explanation:

” What explains the bond between men is often the relationships we build. These relationships are initially dictated little by what the club represents and its image. What has resulted from the Baloise Section in the Southern Hemisphere and especially in New Zealand is very positive. Then it is also a matter of cultural, local and regional integration. These people find themselves well in our lands. They are not distracted by the mountains on the horizon and the geographical landscape. They feel a little at home. They also find themselves in a very rugby zone. »

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“Feel a little at home”

” It is endemic and historic. There are also personal connections, welcome and trust. They are also trustworthy people. They must also be attracted to the club project and pass on rugby to young players. Those who were there were very involved in this transfer, in the training. Just ask Thibault Dubagna. Playing at 20 alongside Colin Slade was a powerful accelerator. The same goes for Antoine Hastoy. I don’t forget either of them and the others, Conrad (Smith, editor’s note) had a great influence on the group. We helped with the emergence of players He was at the training center all the way to say these New Zealanders found themselves in the club’s values “.

If the Whitlock brothers (Samuel and Locke) are now associated with the history of Bow, others who preceded them wrote it wonderfully well. Without being exhaustive, we can cite Colin Slade, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Jimmy Mackintosh, Daniel Ramsay, Tom Taylor…

” We are currently trying to maintain this continuity under the leadership of Sebastian Piqueronis, Explains the head of the Baloise department. These players are ambassadors for what the Baloise Department is. Even if they stay All blacks, part of them in Paw. It is an obvious welcoming ground for them. Everyone learned to appreciate each other here. This clip will be part of a moment in their lives. They have a very strong sense of confidence here. We are a square club. All these parameters make it suitable there. It was a pleasure to have them and vice versa “The sacred fire between the All Blacks and Odes Baloise is not ready to explode.