The Top 14’s fan-day weekend, the derby festival of neighbours, is upon us. Apart from Vannes hosting Toulon (you can’t be much more separated within France than that) the geography works, pitting together Toulouse and Castres, Bordeaux Bègles and La Rochelle, and on Sunday the lowly Parisians.

I have long had my eye on Bayonne versus Pau, upgraded as in previous seasons to the Reale Arena in Donostia-San Sebastián. The visiting team — Section Paloise, to give them their full name — have long had a British axis, with Dan Robson and Joe Simmonds as the half backs, adding to Harry Williams and Joel Kpoku in the forwards. The club acquired another British representative in February with the arrival of Carwyn Tuipulotu as a medical joker — the term for players signed during the season as an injury replacement.

The 23-year-old No8 was peripheral at Scarlets, playing 16 minutes off the bench on the opening weekend and nothing more. He went on loan to Saracens for two Premiership Rugby Cup appearances before the sudden switch to France, spurred on by the support of his girlfriend Leah Tarpey, who plays for Leinster and Ireland. A month after Tuipulotu was running out for Carmarthen Quins in Super Rygbi Cymru, he started a Top 14 match against Stade Français and has now made six appearances for Pau.

Rugby player Carwyn Tuipulotu of Section Paloise during a match.

Tuipulotu started for Pau against Bath in the Challenge Cup this month, one of four starts from six appearances

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Tuipulotu has acclimatised to France through the help of his British team-mates and Siate Tokolahi, Lekima Tagitagivalu and Tumua Manu. “I had a gut feeling that after playing those two games in the Premiership Cup, I was almost addicted to the feeling of playing again,” Tuipulotu tells The Times. “I didn’t want to go back to that same place at Scarlets where I may get a chance to play, I may not. I wanted to just take that risk and see what it could be like out here for me.

“I can’t develop my game from holding shields for the Scarlets boys or being a benchwarmer or not getting that chance to play. I’m grateful I had a chat with the forwards coach at Scarlets who I’m very close with, Albert van den Berg. It was just an honest conversation and that almost became the turning point. I said to him I’d had enough and I felt like I should be playing in the team.”

The atmosphere at Pau’s Stade du Hameau makes a change from Parc y Scarlets, or indeed from The Park in Carmarthen. “Even from the entrance to the games, they make a good effort to be there, to welcome us into the tunnel, the changing room, and I find that amazing,” Tuipulotu says. “I didn’t really find that as much at Scarlets.

“That’s probably the key difference between playing in France and playing in the UK. I just don’t think the atmosphere is the same back home, which is pretty sad. I know they’re trying with the away ends. I’m not too sure if it can compare to the Top 14.”

Section Paloise rugby players celebrating a try in front of cheering fans.

Tuipulotu says the superior atmosphere at French club rugby is the key difference with top-level rugby in the UK

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Tuipulotu doesn’t yet have a contract for next season. He will know soon whether he has to commit to memory La Honhada, the club anthem sung by the man of the match after a victory. He did not feature last weekend, meaning his most recent outing was in the Challenge Cup. It was the first time he had played against Kepu Tuipulotu, the Bath hooker, who is his cousin. It was an occasion for the whole family: Kati, Carwyn’s father, recalled playing for Ebbw Vale in Pau in the Parker Pen Shield.

Kati was one of many Tongans who came to Wales in the early years of professionalism, along with Kuli Faletau and Fe’ao Vunipola, and the first name of his son does little to hide the affinity. Kati’s cousin, Sione, has three children in rugby: as well as Kepu, his daughters Sisilia and Taufa have played for Wales at senior and Under-18 level respectively. James Talamai, another youngster from the “Tongan embassy”, has played for Wales Under-19 and will join Dragons from Saracens next season. “The family tree just keeps coming up,” Tuipulotu says proudly.

Two Section Paloise rugby players celebrating with a microphone and flag.

Tuipulotu with Pau team-mate Fabien Brau-Boirie after their 40-38 win over Montpellier in March

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Wales invited Kepu, whom Carwyn describes more as a little brother, to Six Nations training before he had even played for Bath, but the Harrow alumnus and under-20s star seems destined to represent England. Carwyn had a similar dilemma when he went to Sedbergh School in Cumbria. “Obviously I have aspirations for Wales,” Carwyn says. “That’s every boy’s dream who comes from Wales. I’d love to have that as a goal to hopefully go on that summer tour [to Japan]. I’m just quietly doing my business here in France. Hopefully someone notices and wants to see me.

“I had to make that decision between England and Wales pretty early on. I got asked when I was 15 and it was a big decision. It was almost a decision from the heart because my mum gave me advice, my dad gave me advice. I just thought I wanted to pick Wales because Wales always felt like home to me. Wales has given so much to my family that I always want to give back.”

He jokes that there is still a little voice inside Kepu calling him back to Wales. “If he’s fortunate enough to reach England, I’m always going to be proud of him no matter what,” he says. “He’s making a name for himself in England. I’m a proud big brother.”

Cardiff Rugby v Scarlets - United Rugby Championship

Tuipulotu felt he wasn’t getting opportunities at Scarlets and opted for the switch to the French top flight

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The clash between Bayonne and Pau on Saturday is a meeting of two clubs with Welsh godfathers. The headquarters of Aviron Bayonnais is at 1 Rue Harry Owen Roe, named after the man who gave the club their attacking DNA, while Section Paloise had their own spirit guide in Tom Potter, listed in club histories as un joueur gallois.

At a time when France was full of British rugbymen spreading their knowledge, foreigners became a topic of controversy. Amid rumours of professionalism, Britons were not guaranteed playing licences in 1913 and before a match between Bayonne and Pau, it was uncertain whether Roe and Potter would be allowed to feature. L’Auto’s report carried the subheader: “A draw with no score; Potter and Roe didn’t play.”

Tuipulotu says he will keep an eye out for any mention of Potter on the club’s wall of legends. The uncertainty is whether he will continue at Pau, and whether a Wales debut will follow. We can say for certain, however, that this weekend’s match will not end 0-0.