EPCR Challenge Cup record

Pau have won the EPCR Challenge Cup once, lifting the trophy in 2000 after beating fellow French club Castres Olympique 34-21 at Les Sept Deniers in Toulouse.

They reached the final again five years later but were beaten 27-3 by Sale Sharks at Kassam Stadium in Oxford.

Last season

Pau failed to progress beyond the EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage last season, with a 33-17 home loss against London Irish and away losses to CA Brive (33-25) and Edinburgh Rugby (54-5) consigning them to an early exit.

Head Coach

Frenchman Sebastien Piqueronies took over at Pau in the summer. Prior to taking on the role, he had been with the French youth sides where he won the U20 World Championship twice - in 2018 and 2019 - along with the 2018 Six Nations U20 tournament.

Key players

Pau have two English players on their books, with fly-half Zack Henry having joined the club from Leicester Tigers last season. Dan Robson, who has made 14 England appearances, joined his fellow countryman at the Stade du Hameau this year.

Fijian centre Jale Vatubua has been with Pau since 2014 and has earned several caps for his national side. Wing Aminiasi Tuimaba is another Fijian and won gold in the Sevens at the 2020 Olympics.

The club also have a couple of Georgian players; flanker Beka Gorgadze joined in 2021, and this summer saw 25-year-old prop Guram Papidze switch to Pau from Stade Rochelais.

Wing Vincent Pinto is another international among the Pau ranks, recently helping Portugal qualify for the World Cup.

Pool fixtures

Pau play Toyota Cheetahs at home in their Pool B opener on December 10, with the away game against the South African side in Parma being their final pool match on January 22.

Pau’s other games will be on December 17 and January 13, facing Dragons RFC away and then at home.

TOP 14 club Section Paloise are next up as we continue to profile EPCR Challenge Cup Pool B clubs.