Maxime Casenave

At Aviron Bayonnais, Maxime Casenave has set about establishing himself as a combative young flanker in the colours of the Basque club. Born on 20 June 2005, the Frenchman plays with the aggressive, front-foot defensive style that Bayonne's supporters demand, allied to a genuine effectiveness at the breakdown. Casenave operates as a link between the forwards and backs, doing the connecting work that keeps a team's structure intact while supplying the turnover ball and defensive grit that swing tight contests. As a product of the French system still finding his feet in the professional game, he represents the kind of home-grown talent Bayonne are keen to build around. His commitment in the contact areas and his appetite for the unseen graft of back-row play give Casenave a clear identity, and a foundation on which to develop his game in the Top 14. As Bayonne look to consolidate their standing in French rugby's top flight, the emergence of locally produced forwards such as Casenave offers the club both depth and a sense of continuity for the future.