Thibault Daubagna

His family has deep ties to the region, and he was introduced to rugby by his parents, particularly his mother, Marie-Hélène Etchebest, who often brought him to Section Paloise matches with his father and grandfather.

[1] In his formative years, Daubagna played mini rugby with Section Paloise at the Stade de la Croix du Prince, starting in 1999 at the age of six.

[2] Thibault Daubagna made his senior debut for Section Paloise on 30 August 2013, at the age of 19, under head coach Simon Mannix.

[3] This milestone occurred during the 2013–14 Pro D2 season in a match against FC Auch, marking an emotional moment for fans, as a local boy donned the club’s jersey.

From the 2016–17 Top 14 season onwards, Daubagna faced competition from former French international Julien Tomas but cemented his place as a regular starter.

Despite interest from Montpellier Hérault Rugby, he opted to remain at newly promoted Pau, where Simon Mannix planned to appoint him captain.

Initially an undisputed starter, he faced reduced playing time following the second spell of Samuel Marques at Stade du Hameau.