Episodes
We're joined by Australia international Tolu Latu to find out how he's ended up at the back-to-back Champions Cup winners La Rochelle, the role big Will Skelton played in the move, what sets the club apart, how Ronan O'Gara is as a coach, how he felt being spoken about publicly by Stade Francais owner Hans-Peter Wild and frozen out by Montpellier, whether he thinks there's any chance of winning more Wallaby caps and how exhausted he is after an epic journey to South Africa and on to Ireland....
Published 04/10/24
Published 04/10/24
We catch up with Clermont's Australian full back Alex Newsome to talk playing under Christophe Urios, nicknames, how to fix the issues in Australian rugby, if he qualifies for Scotland and whether there's a statue of him back home for playing a different sport! We also discuss all the latest action in the Top 14, go over a few transfer rumours and we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week... Use the code FRENCHPOD10 at checkout for 10% off any full price item at Meater.com Hosted on Acast. See...
Published 03/27/24
We're back from a good weekend in Dublin, and watching France's final outing fuelled by Guinness and pizza, to pick the bones out of maybe the best Six Nations ever. We discuss France's resurgence and evolution and the tournament as a whole. Plus, we're joined by All Black Brad Weber to chat about settling into life in Paris, the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup, how players don't realise how good they have it in the Top 14, where rugby in the Southern Hemisphere goes from here...
Published 03/20/24
We're joined by former England international and ex-Bordeaux, Clermont and Castres coach Joe Worsley to discuss England's epic win over Ireland, break down their new blitz defence and discuss how France will fare against them on Super Saturday. We also discuss his involvement with Georgia at the World Cup, whether they should be included in the Six Nations and how he's trying to bring the Top 14 to more viewers in the UK. Plus, we analyse France's win over Wales, discuss all the Round 5...
Published 03/13/24
Wales international, British & Irish Lion and now Brive back rower Ross Moriarty joins us to discuss his international exile, the chances of a comeback, adjusting to life in France, Courtney Lawes coming to town next season and who's going to come out on top in Cardiff this weekend. He tells us where the game will be won and lost, gives a damning assessment of the 25-cap rule and fills us in on how he ended up in Brive. Plus, we analyse Fabien Galthie's likely team selection, Antoine...
Published 03/06/24
We're joined by former Italy centre Michele Campagnaro to discuss the controversial end to France's draw with Italy in Lille, whether the kick should've been retaken, Italian improvements and whether they'll get a win or even two in the last couple of rounds. There's a full debrief on what's going wrong with France, discipline issues, attacking struggles, the dangers of a knee-jerk reaction, how it's far from the end of a golden generation and much more. Plus, we have a few transfer rumours,...
Published 02/28/24
We're joined by Oyonnax, Scotland and British & Irish Lions prop Rory Sutherland for a raw and honest chat about his time in France and the ups and downs of life as a professional rugby player, as well as to pick the bones out of a controversial end to the Scotland v France clash at Murrayfield and look forward to his return to Glasgow. Plus, we discuss potential law changes, France's failings and we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week... Use the code FRENCHPOD10 at checkout for 10% off...
Published 02/14/24
We're joined by France legend Mathieu Bastareaud to pick the bones out of the battering Les Bleus suffered at the hands of Ireland in Marseille and discuss whether we're going to see a backlash at Murrayfield this weekend. We talk World Cup hangover, media pressure, Posolo Tuilagi and more. Plus, Basta looks back at his France career, tells us what it was like being part of the Galacticos at Toulon, fills us in on his new role at the club and we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week... Use the...
Published 02/07/24
We look ahead to what many are billing as a title decider already on the opening night of the Six Nations in Marseille and we're joined by Irish-born former France U20 captain Dany Brennan to look ahead to France v Ireland in depth and analyse where it'll be won and lost. Plus, we hear how a night at a beach bar started the success of this generation of French players, discuss whether Dany would consider playing for Ireland in future, get our full Six Nations predictions in and we pick our...
Published 01/31/24
We're joined by Perpignan winger Ali Crossdale to hear how he's loving life in the south of France, his views on his former teammate Owen Farrell's switch to the Top 14, whether the RFU will change their selection rules, his time having Eddie Jones looking over his shoulder at the dinner table and much more. Plus, we discuss the climax to the Champions Cup pool stage, the flaw in the system that means the Round of 16 contains a number of pool repeats, we round up a whole host of big transfer...
Published 01/24/24
We're joined by the fastest man in the Champions Cup (we're calling it!), Lyon's Thaakir Abrahams, to talk leading the try scoring charts heading into the final round of pool games, swapping South Africa for France, international ambition, whether he's on Rassie's radar, Louis Rees-Zammit's attempt to crack the NFL, living in the culinary capital of France and much more. Plus, we look at who's going to make it through to the Champions Cup knockout stages, discuss Fabien Galthie's squad for...
Published 01/19/24
We're joined by Bordeaux attack coach Noel McNamara to discuss his rise up the coaching ranks from a non-rugby background and how he goes about getting the best out of potentially the best backline in world rugby. He talks us through the characters of Damian Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Matthieu Jalibert, contrasts his experiences in Ireland, South Africa and France and tells us what he's learned along the journey. Plus, we look ahead to a huge couple of weeks in the Champions Cup, cast...
Published 01/10/24
We're joined by Scotland full back and Toulouse's new man Blair Kinghorn to hear how life's going at his new club. He fills us in on a whirlwind few weeks, a dream debut, adjusting to life in France, the secret sauce at Toulouse, World Cup heartache, whether this is Scotland's golden generation and much more. We analyse another tough round for French sides in the Champions Cup, discuss Ronan O'Gara's rage and ponder how many Top 14 teams will make it through to the knockout stages come...
Published 12/20/23
We're joined by Perpignan and Italy fly half Tommy Allan to discuss his return to where it all started a decade ago, Italy's World Cup campaign, swapping Kieran Crowley for Gonzalo Quesada, moving to full back, the emergence of Posolo Tuilagi and much more. Plus, we discuss a slow start for French clubs in the Champions Cup, an epic draw for Bayonne at Thomond Park, what we can look forward to in Round 2 and we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week... Use the code FRENCHPOD10 at checkout for 10%...
Published 12/13/23
England scrum half Dan Robson joins us to discuss his new life in Pau, whether the regulations for England players plying their trade abroad might change, his own lack of international starts, life under Eddie Jones, initiations, nicknames and much more. Plus, we discuss more woes for Montpellier, some huge transfer rumours and we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week... Use the code FRENCHPOD10 at checkout for 10% off any full price item at Meater.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...
Published 11/29/23
Scotland scrum half Ben White joins us to fill us in on how he's settling into life in Toulon, the whirlwind of a move after the demise of London Irish, the disappointment of Scotland's World Cup campaign, the different role of a number nine in France, feeling reinvigorated in the Top 14 and much more. Plus, we discuss Richard Cockerill's departure from Montpellier and Bernard Laporte's shock appointment, together with Patrice Collazo and co, the changing role of Raphael Ibanez with France...
Published 11/22/23
We're joined by Canada international Tyler Ardron fresh from his standout performance in Castres' thrashing of Oyonnax, in which he did a bit of maul surfing that went viral too. We hear about his new contract, life in the Tarn, the lengths he's gone to in order to play for his country, his thoughts on Kingsley Jones, what's wrong with Canadian rugby and how he's hoping to end his career at the 2027 World Cup. Plus, we discuss Patrice Collazo's departure from Brive, Melvyn Jaminet's move to...
Published 11/17/23
We catch up with Stade Francais second row JJ van der Mescht to find out about his journey from South Africa to Paris and dreams of playing for France. He talks us through his relationship with Paul Willemse and desire to follow in his footsteps, as well as the new coaching regime at Stade Francais, life under Gonzalo Quesada last season, the impending initiations for Joe Marchant and co and much more besides. Plus, we discuss all the Top 14 action, there are a host of juicy transfer rumours...
Published 11/09/23
We're joined by former Springbok international and South Africa U20 captain Arno Botha to bask in the glory of the Boks' back-to-back World Cup wins and discuss the return of the Top 14 and a new dawn for Lyon. He tells us about keeping Siya Kolisi out of the team when they made their international debuts and about the injury he suffered playing against Johnnie, we chat about what Kolisi will bring to the Top 14, find out who at Lyon lost a bet on the World Cup final and we pick our MEATER...
Published 11/01/23
We're joined by World Cup winner, former Springbok Player of the Year and current La Rochelle scrum coach Gurthro Steenkamp to discuss every possible area of the scrum, as well as other less important areas, after South Africa's win over England and to look ahead to the World Cup final against the All Blacks. We also talk French regret, what next for Les Bleus and the changes that are happening. Plus, we chat about the return of the Top 14, the new Nations Championship being ratified and we...
Published 10/25/23
We're joined by France second row Paul Willemse to discuss the epic quarter-final clash with South Africa, as well as his devastating injury on the eve of the tournament and return to fitness now should he be called upon. We delve deep into the key individual contests and tactical battle, as well as discussing everything from Dupont's facial protection to Rassie's light show. Plus, we predict the outcome of the other quarter-finals and pick our MEATER Moment of the Week... Use the code...
Published 10/13/23
We're joined by a man who played a prominent role for Italy at the last couple of World Cups, Michele Campagnaro, to discuss France's massive showdown against the Azzurri to finish off Pool A. We discuss whether Italy's style of play is naive, the psychological impact of the All Blacks defeat, the rivalry between the two teams, the decision to replace Kieran Crowley with Gonzalo Quesada, the future of Italian rugby and Michele's upcoming house move to become Johnnie's new neighbour! Plus, we...
Published 10/06/23
We're joined by the oldest player at this year's World Cup (but not the oldest player ever at the tournament!) to discuss that title, the prospect of facing a full noise France side and what needs to be done to ensure so-called Tier 2 nations can see bigger improvements. We also hear about his incredible journey, life with Johnnie in Bayonne, playing in the French regional leagues last season, what it was like to face the All Blacks again, Le Roux Malan's injury and much more. Plus, we look...
Published 09/20/23
We're joined by former France international second row Bernard Le Roux to discuss the game plan that beat the All Blacks, the mindset, what makes Shaun Edwards' defence special, Uruguay, wrap up the first round of matches and opening ceremony, find out what life's like at Racing under Stuart Lancaster and take a look ahead to the second weekend of the World Cup. Plus, we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week... Use the code FRENCHPOD10 at checkout for 10% off any full price item at Meater.com ...
Published 09/15/23