Dan Carter: The unstoppable points machine Photo: Michael Paler

In the latest of his exclusive columns for FRC, Pau's Australian captain Paul Dearlove looks ahead to this weekend's international matches as northern hemisphere goes up against the might of the southern mob...

The autumn Tests this year will provide for much more than northern versus southern hemisphere bragging rights. For the first time in a long time the southern hemisphere nations have sent all their top players, realising that momentum is critical and this is the last time many sides will meet before RWC2011.

It will also be a major test for the new brand of southern hemisphere rugby. The Tri Nations this year has been a feast of running rugby. Kicking the ball away has been punished by potent counter attacks and teams have real incentives to build phases ? even in their own 22.

I sincerely hope not, but difference in referee interpretation may end up being the major talking point after these November Tests.

Experienced campaigner:  Pau's Paul Dearlove

In the latest of his exclusive columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove talks about pre-match nerves, Richie McCaw and the art of influencing a referee in the second part of his trilogy on the value of experience within today's professional rugby squads.

I used to hear the older guys saying things like ?you can?t buy experience? and I?d pretty much always dismissed it as one of those things senior players say to convince the coaches they should be in the team for the weekend. Now, as a senior player myself (unbelievably, at 31, I?m the oldest player in the Pau squad!) I am realizing just how important experience is. Here's why...

Match Preparation. Don?t let anyone fool you ? game day is a nerve racking experience. It doesn?t matter if you are the biggest or best player on the field ? if a guy tells you he doesn?t get nervous, he?s lying. I remember a former international telling me a story about how he dealt with pre-game nerves. He asked me if I?d seen Saving Private Ryan (remember the opening 20 minutes? Pretty hectic stuff) and to think about how those men felt in those boats as they approached the D-Day beaches. They knew there was a strong likelihood they would be killed or horribly maimed. ?Imagine that feeling? the player told me ?and then think about what you have to do ? it doesn?t even come close?.

Less bench presses, more squats - Pau's Paul Dearlove

In the latest of his exclusive columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove talks about wasted effort, the fitness benefit of having children and the value of experience...

I used to hear the older guys saying things like ?you can?t buy experience? and I?d pretty much always dismissed it as one of those things senior players say to convince the coaches they should be in the team for the weekend. Now, as a senior player myself (unbelievably, at 31, I?m the oldest player in the Pau squad!) I am realizing just how important experience is.

Gym work. If I had my time again I?d spend a lot more time at the squat rack and on my core strength (gainage as it is known in France). I shudder to think how much time and effort I?ve wasted in the gym doing things that haven?t made me a better player. Bench press, calf raises, bicep curls and basic sit ups all fall into this category.

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"No problem going to Lyon" - Dearlove

The Top 14 play-offs may be be generating the majority of headlines this week but it?s also a crucial weekend in ProD2, with four teams putting themselves on the line for the opportunity to take a step nearer plying their trade in France?s elite division next season.

Champions SU Agen have already secured their slot in Top 14, so now it?s over to Lyon OU, La Rochelle, Oyonnax and Pau to stake their respective claims.

Lyon OU finished second ? although level on points with third-placed La Rochelle ? and so have home advantage against Pau, while La Rochelle?s dramatic last-day win at Oyonnax means they now have a home semi-final against the same opponents.

Home advantage can be crucial in these matches, but Pau?s Paul Dearlove (and FRC columnist) says his side have nothing to fear from their trip to Lyon. Earlier in the season they drew 22-22 at Lyon, and they go into Sunday?s match full of confidence on the back of a run that seen them lose just twice in their last 18 games ? dating back to mid-December.

As anyone can attest ? sometimes work sucks. Here are some of the down-sides of pro rugby.

Injury

I am currently injured, and it is awful. Not only do you lack the personal satisfaction of playing ? you miss that wonderful feeling when the team achieves something. Pau had a great win away at Aurillac last weekend and while I was excited, it can?t match the feeling when the final whistle blows and you have 22 other guys to share it with (to put it in perspective, since I?ve been at Pau we have played around 50 games away ? we have won six).

Look no further than Ewen McKenzie and Christophe Dominici (the ex-coaches of Stade Francais). Five weeks ago there was no doubt they were the men for the job. Now, they are without a job. This applies to players too, especially those in the UK. To explain this a little more fully ? if you are playing in the UK, there is often a clause in your contract that says if you are unable to play for any reason (it is most often applied for injury) for more than a stated period of time ? the club can terminate your contract. Just like that. As Donald would say... ?You?re fired?.

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?If you?re not cheating ? you?re not trying!?

I have heard this from many coaches and players and I understand the mentality. Rugby is a game with many areas requiring interpretation and this opens the door to all types of games within the game.

But what is cheating? Slowing the ball down for two or three seconds is against the laws, but is it cheating? Holding or obstructing an opposition supporting runner for even the shortest moment can save a try - this is also unlawful but teams train strategies with dummy runners for exactly this purpose. I could go on but anyone who has played or watched a game of rugby could pinpoint innumerable examples of players ?cheating?.

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I don?t know if it is because professional rugby players get most of their decisions made for them (when to train, when and what to eat etc) and we need an outlet, or if it is because we are all infants at heart, but there is always an undercurrent of ?pranksterism? when we get together.

Acting like children (especially when we travel) seems to be the norm rather than the exception. Today I will give you an insight into the best pranks of the year at Section Paloise.

The biggest prankster at Pau is a 6ft 7,ins 120 kilo, former policeman, second rower. He set the tone of the season early when he decided anyone?s phone left in the locker room was fair game. Coaches, the club president and other players would receive text messages from a player usually criticizing something they?d done or said the previous week. The oblivious player would then receive a (usually terse) phone call from the recipient asking them to explain themselves.

While the rugby world digests Ian McGeechan?s British and Irish Lions this week ? I thought it would be an interesting exercise to pick a current world XV and see how many of those Lions would make it. There are some notable omissions (as there have to be) and I?m sure there will be many of you that disagree with certain selections (I certainly don?t agree with everyone that has made the Lions squad) but I will explain my reasoning as we go and should my team ever get the opportunity to play the Martians ? I reckon we?d do ok.

Let?s start at the front ? where rugby starts anyway. You should ignore whatever those little men with the nice hair say.

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The thing about commenting on a topical issue is that no one listens unless you?ve got either an outlandish opinion or you point fingers ? why do you think David Campese still gets asked for comments?

That is why I just roll my eyes when I read the criticisms being leveled at the new laws being trialed to various degrees throughout the rugby world. Rugby luminaries and, in particular, the ?blazer brigade? in the northern hemisphere ? none of whom are actually playing anymore ? think the ELV?s are destroying rugby and all seem to want a return to the glory days when rugby was ?the running game?.

You know what they say about opinions and a***holes ? everyone has got one (and yes, I do see the irony of calling them a***holes while giving my own opinion in the same breath).

Pressure is something we all deal with on a daily basis. Meeting that deadline at work, organizing a present for your wife?s birthday (which turns out to have been yesterday ? who knew?) or a phone call from the principal of the school about why your child?s teacher needs six weeks stress leave.

It is a part of all our lives. But today I?m going to get specific and ask ? 'why is there so much more pressure when you play at home and does this provide an answer as to why the home team invariably wins?'

We lost our first game at home this season on the weekend. People had been talking about ?Fortress Hameau? and how teams feared coming here. Perhaps this had an element of truth and helped us in close games, but this doesn?t explain how we can win 12 games in a row at home and only win two games away.

The typical week of a professional rugby player looks something like this:

Monday morning ? recovery pool session (if you played less than 30 minutes you have to do a fitness session before the pool).

Monday afternoon ? video of last weekend?s game. Weights followed by a short and light field session (lineouts/handling for forwards or passing for backs).

Tuesday morning ? weights and a speed session.

Tuesday afternoon ? rugby (usually something technical ? limited contact).

Wednesday morning ? weights followed by lineouts and scrums for the forwards and attacking plays for the backs (in reality the backs spend more time drinking coffee and talking about the weekend than actually running ? if I had a dollar for every time I said ?I wish I was a back? at training?).