Rosbifs Rugby

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/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Top 14 Team of the Year: 20:00 - 54:35 Quiz - Rosbifs x Tour de France: 54:35 - 1:07:20 Petit Fours: 1:07:20 - 1:10:28 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 very end for the job opportunity of a lifetime... 00:00 - 03:45 Entrées 03:45 - 27:32 France Tour of South America - Review 27:32 - 37:10 U20s World Championship 37:10 - 47:12 Fixture Frenzy: Champions Cup 47:12 - 53:36 Fixture Frenzy: Top 14 & Pro D2 53:36 - 01:02:12 Petit Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 admirable new levels.... 00:00 - 04:40 Entrées - News headlines 04:40 - 07:00 Entrées 07:00 - 22:35 ARG v FRA - 1st Test Review 22:35 - 28:45 Uruguay & 2nd Test Preview 28:45 - 42:10 Under 20s World Championship 42:10 - 57:24 Petit-Fours & Digestifs (including Champions Cup 7 Challenge Cup Pools announcements (44:05 - 51:50)) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 night that few will ever forget. 00:00 - 17:45 Top 14 Final 17:45 - 50:05 Steve Cummins interview 50:05 - 53:01 France U20s 53:01 - 59:29 Petit Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 looking French U20s side is confirmed for the World Cup, there's transfers aplenty to tuck into, and find out what happened when a former French president stumbled upon a rugby club on the campaign trail... 00:00 - 05:40 Entrées 05:40 - 31:40 Top 14 Semi Finals Review 31:40 - 36:17 Top 14 Final Preview 36:17 - 52:05 France Squad for South America Tour 52:05 - 57:09 France U20s World Cup Squad 57:09 - 1:06:10 Petit Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 for Argentina and Uruguay, and there's joy in Geneva and transfers aplenty in the petit-fours. 00:00 - 05:10 Entrées 05:10 - 26:40 Top 14 Barrage Review 26:40 - 36:54 Top 14 Semi Finals Preview 36:54 - 51:55 Top 14 Access Match Review 51:55 - 1:05:28 France Tour of South America 1:05:28 - 1:15:53 Petit-Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 - 27:24 Top 14 Access Match Preview 27:24 - 53:55 Top 14 Final Round Review 53:55 - 59:58 Top 14 Barrage Preview 59:58 - 62:54 France Summer Tour - mini preview 62:54 - 66:03 Petit Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 to write a best man's speech, and how to shoehorn in a bit of rugby into your wedding, if that's your thing. 00:00 - 04:30 Entrées 04:30 - 35:43 Top 14 35:43 - 46:16 Pro D2 Semi Finals 46:16 - 51:06 Pro D2/National Access Match 51:06 - 1:01:40 Petit-Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Pau. 00:00 - 03:14 Entrées 03:14 - 34:41 Champions Cup Final Review 34:41 - 52:42 Pro D2: Barrage Review & Semi-Final Preview 52:42 - 1:00:29 Top 14: Round 25 Preview 1:00:29 - 1:10:49 Petit-Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 of this week's barrage hopefuls need to add them to their travel plans, or can they go one better? 00:00 - 04:35 Entrées 04:35 - 30:21 Top 14 30:21 - 50:39 Pro D2: Final Round Drama 50:39 - 56:57 Nationale & Nice 56:57 - 1:06:15 Champions Cup Final Preview 1:06:15 - 1:09:59 Petit Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 showdown to join the promised land, plus get the inside line on the 1200 year old beef between Wilfred the Hairy and er, Charles the Bald. 00:00 - 16:20 Entrées & Overview of Rob’s Catalan trip 16:20 - 38:47 Top 14 38:47 - 57:35 Pro D2 (& a little bit of Nationale) 57:35 - 1:07:27 Petit-Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 06:10 - 26:02 Champions Cup Semi Finals 26:02 - 29:45 Challenge Cup Semi Finals 29:45 - 1:02:42 Interview with Zak Farrance 1:02:42 - 1:13:35 Top 14 Previews 1:13:35 - 1:20:50 Pro D2 Previews 1:20:50 - 1:29:45 Petit-Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 pitch in Montpellier, we run through all of the Top14 action and ProD2 highlights including a famous win for Dax in the Landes derby. Find out why the Mont-Saint-Michel trophy may have found it's resting place for the foreseeable, and it's Buy One, Get One Free on Castres Olympique and err, Alice Cooper gig tickets... 00:00 - 07:00 Entrées 07:00 - 39:15 Top 14 39:15 - 62:25 Quins in Toulouse - 39:15 - 48:57 Rosbifs’ Recommendations for Toulouse - 48:57 - 53:51 Trip Options - Nationale 1 Play Offs - 53:51 - 1:02:25 Champions Cup Semi Final Preview 1:02:25 - 1:12:36 Pro D2 1:02:36 - 1:21:05 Petit Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 every outcome still a possibility. Nationale approaches it's last round of the regular season, and a barber pays an unexpected visit to Normandy... 00:00 - 05:24 Entrées 05:24 - 16:45 JIFF Rules & Why Do We Care? 16:45 - 39:39 Top 14 39:39 - 52:47 Pro D2 52:47 - 57:20 Nationale 57:20 - 1:07:56 Petit-Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 clipboard, and the Challenge Cup is barely discussed whilst we probe instead how Homer Simpson would organise a Stag-Do. Find out why the locals are so impressed with Rob's ability to 'get the badge in', plus the usual previews of the Top14, ProD2 and a sombre but celebratory digestif. 00:00 - 02:15 Intro 02:15 - 09:17 Entrées - Bordeaux Trip 09:17 - 24:36 UBB v Harlequins 24:36 - 34:15 Leinster v La Rochelle 34:15 - 39:00 Northampton v Bulls 39:00 - 46:22 Toulouse v Exeter 46:22 - 59:34 Top 14 Previews 59:34 - 1:06:10 Pro D2 1:06:10 - 1:08:35 Nationale 1 1:08: 35 - 1:17:48 Petit-Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 before his side’s quarter-final this weekend and discover how the film Platoon was recreated in the Basque Country. 00:00 - 04:20 Entrées 04:20 - 66:56 Champions Cup reviews and QF Previews - 04:20 - 28:36 Harlequins v Glasgow | UBB v Saracens - 28:36 - 47:56 Leinster v Leicester | Stormers v La Rochelle - 47:56 - 51:44 Bulls v Lyon | Northampton v Munster - 51:44 - 1:06:56 Exeter v Bath | Toulouse v Racing 92 1:06:56 - 1:13:15 Challenge Cup 1:13:15 - 1:21:52 Pro D2 1:21:52 - 1:24:54 Nationale 1:24:54 - 1:37:59 Petit-Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Exeter v Bath 13:37 Bordeaux v Saracens 18:13 Leinster v Leicester 19:12 Northampton v Munster 19:52 Toulouse v Racing 28:00 Challenge Cup previews Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Games review 18:50 Toulouse v Pau 26:06 Montpellier v Stade Francais 33:04 Bayonne v Toulon 46:43 Perpignan v Castres 49:17 Lyon v Bordeaux 51:56 Racing v Clermont 55:16 La Rochelle v Oyonnax 57:05 Pro D2 Roundup 67:24 Nationals 1 Roundup 74:05 Petit Fours & Digestifs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Rosbifs dissect a bonkers round of TOP14 action including a game for the ages between Bordeaux Begles and Stade Toulousain at the Matmut Atlantique. Is Antoine Dupont human, and is Maxime 'the Man' Lucu even better? Plus we look ahead to the ProD2 run in, with Rugby's sexiest and most unpredictable league sure to serve up a feast of chaos in the remaining 6 rounds. Also find out why Rich is Castres and Castres is Rich, and Robins Tchale-Watchou and Perpignan's kitman get a shout out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Rosbifs Rugby! Join Rob and Rich for the inaugural Rosbifs Rugby Podcast. We'll be reviewing the end of France's Six Nations campaign and dissecting the state of play in the TOP14, as well as revealing which 1998 football World Cup winner has been inspiring Brive ahead of their ProD2 run-in. Plus find out our recommendations for a night to remember in Bordeaux, and what is the secret ingredient in a 'Sauce Paloise'... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices