This is the lot of each off-season, discovering new faces, or putting a name back on that of certain players who left on loan a few months earlier. In view of the 2022/2023 season, the Paloise Section has for the time being formalized six rookies and three returning from loans. Enough to offset eight starts : Lespiaucq (La Rochelle), Ramsay (retired), Habel-Kuffner (Stade Français), Texier (SA XV), Hastoy (La Rochelle), Harris, Tugayé (SA XV) and Alexandre Dumoulin, without forgetting the end of medical freelance by the Italian Marco Zanon. At least two players will leave on loan next season, the pillars Téo Bordenave (Bourg-en-Bresse) and Kévin Yaméogo (Montauban). Find below those who join the Green and White next season.
Guram Papidze – Right Pillar
The 24-year-old Georgian (1m86, 120 kilos) arrives from La Rochelle. If he did not take part in the barrage in Toulouse, he has participated in 15 league games this season, and 4 Champions Cup. “Beka Gorgadze told me a lot of good things about the club and the region, that convinced me“, says the player for the club’s website, “Guram’s journey is well paced despite his young agewelcomes his side the manager Sébastien Piqueronies. He has several matches in Pro D2 in Nevers and in Top 14 in La Rochelle. He will bring us more depth to the position of right pillar and challenger in an increasingly tough Top 14“.
– Diarmid Courreges
Romain Ruffenach – Hooker
At Biarritz Olympique this season, the 27-year-old (1m86, 106 kilos) has shown little due toa rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of a knee very early in the season. After having also known Montpellier, he arrives revengeful in Béarn. “Romain comes to help, complete and put a healthy emulation at the position of hooker with Lucas, Youri and Rayne to allow us to be highly competitive and legitimate in order to dominate more matches in Top 14“, comments Sébastien Piqueronies.
– Sylvain Thomas
Thibaut Hamonou – 3rd line
Loaned this season to Section Paloise by Stade Toulousain, Thibaut Hamonou definitively integrates the Béarn workforce, until 2025. A low playing time this season, but the staff of the Section is counting on him for the future details Sébastien Piqueronies: “We are very happy to allow Thibaut to develop his potential alongside us. Beyond a recruitment, it is an early recruitment because we have already advanced a lot with him on this loan season.“.
– © Section Paloise
Sacha Zegueur – 3rd line
It’s hard not to see the Piqueronies paw in the recruitment of the double world champion under 20. Since then, Zegueur (22 years old, 1m92, 107 kilos) has brought joy to Oyonnax, his training club, for which he has played nearly sixty Pro D2 matches over the past three seasons. “It is an athletic 3rd line profile. It comes to densify our rotation on the third line, we know that it is a highly fundamental line and which gives the level of regulation of a team. He comes to grow and confirm the promise of his talent. We hope he will be up to our current 3rd line“, announces the Bearn manager.
– Catherine Aulaz
Emilien Gailleton – Center
Another hope of French rugby who signs with the Section Paloise. It was this winter captain of the XV of France under 20 who finished 2nd in the Six Nations Tournament. Émilien Gailleton (1m85, 89 kilos), 18, wore the Agen jersey this season in the league. In 20 games he scored four tries. Sébastien Piqueronies is delighted with this arrival: “Émilien comes from a rugby training territory, he is a young player who has the distinction of being captain of the France U20 team. He comes to challenge the center position and bring competition to a line where we have high quality players. He is a promising young element, doubly outclassed last year, he is used to the high level and has had a lot of Pro D2 matches. He comes to cross a course with us in the future years“.
– Andy Buchanan
Clément Laporte – Full-back/Winger
“I was starting to miss the Southwest a little, I wanted to discover Béarn. It’s a well-considered and very interesting choice for me.“, entrusts the one who was trained at Parentis. Clément Laporte (1m80, 83 kilos), 24, had been playing in Lyon since 2019 after wearing the SUA tunic. “Clément comes to enrich our deep plan thanks to his rear-winger versatility, he will bring freshness, emulation and competition. It will help us to progress and grow“, hopes Sébastien Piqueronies.
– Maxime Jegat
Three loan returns
Next season the Paloise Section will also be able to count on three players returning from loan: the left pillar Paul Tailhades10 games last season with Montauban, the 2nd line Jimi Maximinpart of Tarbes in National last season, and the winger Hugo Le Gall who played little last year in Montauban because of an injury. Not to mention the extension of Jordan Joseph’s loanwhich will still be in Green and White next season.