Obano ends England career prospects with surprise move to Pau in Top 14

Beno Obano will leave Bath for French Top 14 club Pau when his contract expires in July 2026, ending his prospects of further England selection. The 31-year-old loosehead, who made his Bath debut in February 2015 and recently returned to Steve Borthwick’s England squad, will become ineligible for national selection upon moving to France.

The move comes as a surprise given that Obano had been in advanced discussions with back-to-back Investec Champions Cup winners Bordeaux-Bègles, who had even given him a guided tour of their facilities in south-western France. Bordeaux had identified Obano as the successor to Jefferson Poirot, but Pau — who finished fourth in the Top 14 last season, eight points behind Toulouse — won the race for his signature, according to a report by L’Equipe.

Obano’s departure is the latest in a series of significant losses for Bath, the reigning Gallagher Premiership champions. The club has already seen first-choice tighthead Thomas Du Toit return to the Sharks in Durban, flanker Alfie Barbeary move to Saracens, and loosehead understudy François Van Wyk join Connacht in the URC.

Despite the upheaval, Obano leaves the Rec having contributed to some of the club’s finest moments. He started both their Challenge Cup and Premiership final victories in 2025 and is approaching 200 appearances for the club. His England recall this summer saw him earn his first cap since February 2024, coming off the bench in a 45-21 Nations Championship win over South Africa at Ellis Park.

However, Obano was not among the 25 players awarded enhanced Elite Player Squad contracts for the 2026-27 campaign, announced earlier this month — a signal, perhaps, that his international future was already uncertain. His CV had been circulating among French clubs since he entered the final year of his Bath deal at the start of July.

Obano is the cousin of British and Irish Lions captain Maro Itoje. With his departure now confirmed, Bordeaux-Bègles may redirect their loosehead search towards Stormers and Springbok prop Ntuthuko Mchunu, who was signed by the Cape Town franchise as Steven Kitshoff’s long-term replacement.