Rosbifs Rugby

Another round of the Top 14 has been and gone and we examine the best of the action, as nerveless kicks and massive hits take centre stage across the weekend. Pro D2 continues to dazzle with tight results everywhere, and the Rosbifs look ahead to their upcoming French voyage to Brive and Castres in the only way they know how... a really nerdy quiz. 00:00 - 05:51 Entrées 05:51 - 36:32 Top 14 Round...

Round 1 of the Top 14 has been and gone and the delicious storylines (and bad alliteration) are back with Blistering Bordeaux, Valiant Vannes, and Miserable Montpellier all on show. Pro D2 serves up another dose of high drama as the Away Day win becomes flavour of the month, and there's bagpipes, butchers and boring wedding guests to discuss.  00:00 - 05:05 Entrées 05:05 - 36:00 Top 14 Round 1 Rev...

Join us to look ahead to another enthralling season of Top 14 action as we ramble through the teams, new recruits and potential fortunes of Rugby's premier club competition. Can Toulouse be toppled? Can Vannes beat the drop? Can Montpellier get even worse? We fail to answer all of these questions and more, plus there's Pro D2, Nationale, and celeb spotting down in Hyères... Strap in, the season's...

Astonishingly, the new Pro D2 season is already upon us! The Rosbifs welcome Illtud Dafydd, a Welshman living the dream of working in France and reporting on French Rugby for AFP. Illtud helps us run the rule over the contenders in the ‘Triple Ironman’ of domestic rugby leagues: Pro D2. Illtud brings the inside scoop on regional rivalries, crazy club Presidents and Siya Kolisi’s eating habits. 00:...

The Rosbifs are back for Series 2! Whilst we eagerly await the start of the 2024-2025 season, what better time to chew the fat with The Times Sports Reporter, and all round French Rugby aficionado, Elgan Alderman. The task at hand for us in this, a Lions season: devising the perfect Lions Tour of France Itinerary. Enjoy! 00:00 - 07:20 Entrées 07:20 - 45:18 Elgan Alderman & Lions Tour to France iti...

We bring the curtain down on 11 months of glorious French Rugby and Series 1 of our less glorious podcast. Join us for our finds of the season, favourite memories and the best petit-fours from the last 21 weeks. We'll be back in a couple of weeks for Series 2 with more guests, more tall tales and lots, lots more French Rugby. Merci! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi...

A short pod for the short format... even with the Olympics in town, French rugby is the hottest ticket as the France Mens Sevens team claim an historic Gold Medal at the Stade de France, inspired by you-know-who. We discuss a day for the ages, GOATness, and just how good is this sporting storyline?  00:00 - 02:33 Entrées 02:33 - 26:31 Olympics & The GOAT? 26:31 - 38:03 Petit-Fours & Digestifs Lear...

The Olympics are here and whilst a certain Tony D has the eyes of a nation on him, our attentions turn to the nerdy pursuit of picking our Top14 team of the year. Join us to see whether the vibes or spreadsheets win out in the final selection, and for a tribute to one of the departing greats of French rugby. Entrées: 00:00 - 05:45 Olympic 7s: 05:45 - 11:40 U20s World Championships: 11:40 - 20:00 T...

France's players finally wrap up their mammoth 2023/24 season with a cracker in Buenos Aires but the U20s fancy just one more game after an astonishing win against New Zealand in their bid to equal the Baby Blacks’ 4 successive World Cups. We review who shone in South America, whilst there's the small matter of all the new season fixtures to chow down on. If that's not enough, then listen to the v...

In what has been a shocking few days for French Rugby, join us to reflect on some of the high points, namely a youthful France comfortably getting past Argentina and an even more youthful under 20s side making the U20s semi-finals. The Champions and Challenge Cup Pools have been drawn and there are potential mouthwatering trips aplenty on the horizon, and Sofiane Guitoune takes dental hygiene to a...

We are joined by Section Paloise and soon to be Dragons Australian Second Row Steve Cummins, to discuss all things Pau: from Sam Whitelock mentoring the club's electric youngsters, to chance encounters with rowdy Brits in the city's bars. There's also the small matter of a Top14 final to digest, as Toulouse secure their 23rd Bouclier de Brennus in the most extraordinary fashion in Marseille on a n...

With the denouement to the French rugby season nearly upon us, we dissect two cracking semi-finals in Bordeaux, including THAT headbutt from Reda Wardi and how it is linked to Rob’s haircut. With Stade Toulousain and UBB progressing to the Final, we preview Friday night’s game at the Stade Velodrome. There's also a preview of the updated France squad for their tour to South America, a fresh lookin...

It's heartbreak in the Isere as Grenoble are pipped in the Access Match, whilst Montpellier live to fight another day. The Barrages are done, with La Rochelle saving their best 'til last to tee up a Friday night feast under the lights against Toulouse, whilst UBB cruise past an increasingly ramshackle Racing 92. Rob dips into his spreadsheet to discuss the fresh faces in Fabien's preliminary squad...

It's all about them up-north this week, as Vannes make history securing their first promotion to the Top14, sparking wild scenes in the changing rooms of Toulouse and the ports of Brittany. The Top 6 are confirmed as we look ahead to the Barrage, and can Grenoble spring an upset and overturn the Montpellier Madness in the access match?   00:00 - 01:50 Intro 01:50 - 17:35 Pro D2 Final Review 17:35...

The Top14 is back and we review an absolute cracker between La Rochelle and a half-cut Toulouse at le Stadium on a Super Sunday where Toulon hammered home their title credentials. The ProD2 Final is upon us after two breathless semi-finals and it's heartbreak for Narbonne in a historic first Nationale Access Match as Jerome Bosviel's redemption arc comes full circle. Plus there's tips on how not t...

The Rosbifs dissect an astonishing Champions Cup final: Rich finds out whether Rob found it all a bit underwhelming, Toulouse add their 6th star, sparking city-wide celebrations for the ages. Meanwhile, Grenoble march on and Beziers confirm their place in the Pro D2 semi finals. There’s a first ever Pro D2/Nationale access match to chow down on, the Top 14 returns, and the Olympic torch pops up in...

The Rosbifs are back to review a pivotal round of Top14 action as the table begins to take shape. We preview what could be one of the all time Champions Cup Finals between Toulouse and Leinster and discuss the travails of following arguably the most dramatic round of PROD2 action ever via dodgy streams, whether you're a fan or a coach. Nice hit the ProD2 big time for the first time, but will any o...

Rob is back from his latest trip to Beziers, Perpignan and Prades with tales of scorching scenery, scintillating rugby and straight-up sunburn. We discuss all the latest updates from the Top14 as the usual suspects soar and others falter. There's a full preview of the last full round of ProD2 fixtures after another incredible week at both ends of the table, Narbonne and Nice eye up an Alpine showd...

The Rosbifs are joined by Agen lock Zak Farrance to discuss all things ProD2, from intensive eating at Oyonnax, to getting red carded by an away crowd and the pressures of Phillippe Sella peering over your shoulder. We review a Champions Cup classic between Toulouse and Harlequins and the epic events in Nationale, and there's some trophy diving served up for good measure. 00:00 - 06:10 Entrées 06:...

It's Champions Cup Semi-Final week, and with the feeding and watering needs of the travelling Harlequins faithful in mind, the Rosbifs run through their recommendations for a belting weekend in Toulouse, including a couple of potential detours to the Nationale Barrage games. After Clermont prove they can still mix it with the best in the league and Perpignan settle diplomatic squabbles on the pitc...

Inspired by efforts of those partaking in the London Marathon the previous day, Rob embarks on a similarly torturous journey through the winding backstreets of the French JIFF rules, and the knock-on effect on the sharp end of the Top14 season. We recap all the weekend's action including an agonising defeat for Bayonne in France's premier division, and the end is in sight for ProD2 with just about...

Returning from Costa Rican exile and the Stade Chaban Delmas respectively, the Rosbifs are back to ask, Quins, what have you done?! Our man on the ground by the Garonne reports on a startling reverse for UBB at the hands of sunburnt south-west Londoners as La Rochelle's hopes of a hat-trick of titles fade to Leinster. Stade Toulousain look inspired despite Exeter borrowing Pierre Mignoni's clipboa...

We discuss a pulsating weekend of Champions Cup action and preview the best weekend in the rugby calendar: the Quarter Finals of the Champions Cup. Will any of the sides manage to pick up an away win? We also dissect the latest from Pro D2 and hear about what the hell is going on at the top of Nationale. In this week’s extraordinary Petit-Fours, we hear the unique way one coach will be preparing b...

Separate episode looking forward to one of the great weekends in the rugby calendar: the last 16 of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup. We run through our predictions for the games, give recommendations of the long weekends you could have, and play a Challenge Cup edition of ‘Will the French team bother to turn up?’ 01:35 Harlequins v Glasgow 5:13 Bulls v Lyon 7:48 Stormers v La Rochelle 12:14 Ex...

After falling for our April Fools, we have a recipient of the ‘Poisson d’Avril’ filling in for Rich this week after and we talk Mullet Quotas being introduced to Pro D2, hear from our Costa Rican Correspondent, debate whether smoking bans lead to successful French rugby teams and investigate a mystery disappearance during a sin bin period.   10:22 Entrées - April Fools and other news 18:47 Top 14...