A legendary rugby shirt for the club’s 120th anniversary in 2022

The innovative operation has been set up with the Amicale des Anciens de la Section Paloise, and the Section Paloise Omnisports, and five different models of shirts have been shortlisted for the vote: 

• The white one from the Brennus shield season, which they won in 1964.
• The green and white striped one from the 1988-1989 season, which ended in defeat against Castres in the Group B final.
• The white shirt with green stripes on the shoulders, from the 1997-1998 season, worn in the semi-finals of the H Cup against Bath.
• The all-green one, from the 2000-2001 season, worn by the players in the Champions Cup, with a defeat in the quarter-finals against the Stade Français.
• The green shirt with the outline of the Pic du Midi d’Ossau, from the 2014-2015 season, which marked the team’s comeback to the elite.

Fans were able to vote up until November 26, 2021. Over 6,000 supporters voted for one of the five emblematic rugby shirts and by doing so, participated in the preparations for the 120th anniversary celebration, a milestone date for the club and its followers. Verdict: the fans' favorite was the shirt worn by the Section’s rugbymen in the 1997-1998 season. The team was awarded a new national trophy when it won the French Cup in the Yves du Manoir Challenge in 1997, qualifying them for the quarter-finals of the French Championships. On a roll, the club went on to the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup  in 1998, the biggest interclub tournament for rugby union played in Europe.

Back then, Elf was the sponsor on the midsection of the shirt… So the ties between our broad energy company and rugby goes back a long way...It is strong and loyal, a great history anchored in shared values: respect for others, fair play, solidarity, pioneering spirit and a taste for achievement.

Through its support to rugby, TotalEnergies shows its fondness for a popular sport that reflects the identity of South West France. Together with our employees, particularly those working in Pau and Lacq, we are proud to have supported the Section for more than 30 years now and today, to be a sponsor of the Rugby World Cup which is to be held in France in 2023.

Beyond the passion for sport, rugby also provides great economic leverage for the region. Every match played at the Hameau stadium in Pau, is a celebration that generates a whole host of activities, attracts thousands of supporters and galvanizes the region as a whole. We wish the Section, its players, staff and supporters a season as thrilling as the one in 1997-1998  that had everyone in the Bearn region on the edge of their seats. We will be alongside them to celebrate the 120th anniversary of one of the most long-standing clubs in France. 

• From Elf to TotalEnergies, find out about our history. Whether local or national, people-focused or collective, it is inextricably linked to the history of our region and our nation. Discover the wealth of our shared heritage in a series of publications and videos: HERE.
• TotalEnergies and the Section - over 30 years of loyalty! Since 1986, rugby and the Section Paloise Béarn Pyrénées have had a privileged place in TotalEnergies’ sponsoring strategy in France. To find out more, click HERE.