Sam Whitelock in Pau: Sud-Ouest newspaper questions transfer

It’s been official for a few days: the symbolic second line for the All-Blacks, Sam Whitelock will develop at Pau next season.

The latter has committed to the Baloise Division for the next two seasons, that is, until June 2025.

He will land in Pau at the end of the World Cup and will find his brother Luke Whitelock there.

Inevitably, peeing supporters are, for the most part, very excited to have such a player in their workforce.

But the newspaper Southwest He wants to be more careful. Extracts:

When he settles down in Berne after the World Cup, Sam Whitelock will be 35. An age that might seem key when immersed in a competition like Top 14 where fighting reigns far more than Super Rugby.

At the end of a World Cup where he will necessarily have played all the important matches for the All Blacks, how far will Sam Whitelock be able to take on this new challenge?

Within the front of the five Bao who had not crushed any of his rivals in the conquest stages and were ordinary in an action game, wouldn’t we expect too much from him? The success of his former teammates Jerome Caino at Stade Toulousain or Victor Vito at Stade Rochelais was facilitated by the quality of the workforce and the environment. Even if having his brother Luke at Pau would help his integration, the All Blacks captain would be relegated to a side lacking in confidence and within a club that for three years has struggled to avoid relegation.

Also, the regional daily notes, some New Zealanders did not necessarily leave a lasting memory in Pau, including in particular Conrad Smith, Colin Slade, Ben Smith or Tom Taylor.

Thomas Liveremont, for his part, believes Sam Whitelock will bring a lot to the peeing group. Extracts:

“We know we won’t see Sam Whitelock for ten years, but what an exceptional player he is. Even if he only plays half the games, that’s a great move for the department. He’ll change the confidence of the group. He’ll also change the perception we can have of the club. I remember the impact he had.” For Dan Carter in Perpignan, even if he gets injured quickly, these are the guys who spread good vibes.”

Julien Pierre is also very excited. Extracts:

“With his charisma, he will bring a lot of leadership to the front group. People will say that arriving after the World Cup can be complicated. But Konrad Smith proved the opposite. When a player like Konrad Smith, two-time world champion, stayed after training and explained that he needed to improve, “That sent a strong message to the rest of the group. A player like Sam Whitelock wouldn’t have had this career without a lot of hard work.”