On a bright March day last year
this young(ish) Australian had the honour of touring
the D Day beaches in Normandy and was not only made
acutely aware of the courage it would take to deal
with real fear, but also realized how many
gravestones remember soldiers younger than me - and
also those ‘known only unto God’. This type of
experience is only part of what makes a professional
rugby player's life in France so amazing.
As a self-confessed journeyman I
feel I can speak for the 14 out of 15 players who
are not Dan Carter or Juan Martin Hernandez and
earning squillions of euros from contracts and
endorsements. We are the players who make up the
bulk of the Top 14 and Pro D2. We are here for
varying reasons and, as with most other professions,
money is only a part of it.
Where else can a decent rugby
player run out in front of vocal crowds averaging
7,000 people, live in a town where rugby regularly
makes the front page, enjoy the perks of a
professional sportsperson's lifestyle and get
paid (handsomely) for it? Certainly not in Sydney or
Auckland.
Bear with me while we do the
maths. France has 30 fully professional teams – that
is around 850 players. Australia has four, New
Zealand and South Africa have around 10 – 15. France
also pays in Euros (Brits who want to remind me that
the pound is also a strong currency please take a
deep breath and re-read the financial pages).
Opportunity. That is why we are
here.
Oh, and the chance to live in the
most visited country (by tourist numbers) in the
world. The country that gives the world fine wine
and gourmet dining, Alpine and Pyrenean skiing, the
Cote D’Azur and a two hour ‘siesta’ at lunch time.
And lastly, of course,... Lest We
Forget
Paul Dearlove, Rugby Player
Born 6.2.79 in Paris to a South
African father and Australian mother. I have a
younger brother and sister. We lived in Jo’burg,
South Africa, until 1988 when we emigrated to
Sydney, Australia. I am married to Melissa and we
have a one year old son – Leo. I have a Bachelor in
Commerce from Sydney Uni, a Diploma in Financial
Planning and am part way through an MBA.
I played my rugby at Sydney
University (and with the ACT ‘B’ and NSW ‘B’ teams).
At 23 I realised my rugby career wouldn’t exist if I
stayed in Australia and after 2 years playing semi
professionally and working with
PricewaterhouseCoopers in corporate tax I made the
move to Glasgow, Scotland. After 2.5 seasons with
the Warriors and a tour to Australia with the
Scotland team, I had the opportunity to move to
Section Paloise (Pau, France) and in February 2006
we arrived in France.
Although very successful when I
arrived (we won 6 out of 10 games – beating
Biarritz, Bayonne, Toulon, Narbonne, Brive and
Perpignan, as well as taking an attacking bonus
point away at Stade Francais) we were relegated to
the Pro D2.
I made the decision to stay with
Pau where I was made captain this season
(2008/2009), and have not regretted it for an
instant.
