Ladies and Gentlemen, Antoine Dupont is back!

On the French  Rugby CONNECTIONS Podcast, Veronique Landew and Bill Hooper preview the exciting quarter-final and discuss the following:<br /><br />The return of Antoine Dupont!<br />The Springboks selection and which players to watch out for<br />Will Fiji repeat their Twickenham win<br />Camborne playing for Fiji<br /><br />Enjoy the French Rugby CONNECTIONS Podcast, the rugby podcast with the gallic twist,</p>

00:19:44

Zut alors....Captain Dupont's injured!

Veronique Landew and Bill Hooper celebrate Thursday's game between France and Namibia and commiserate about the injury caused by Johan Deysel to Captain, oh Captain Antoine Dupont...<br />Enjoy the French Rugby CONNECTIONS, the French rugby podcast with the gallic twist!</p>

00:18:43

Oh la la! Rugby God is on the podcast!

This week, I'm joined by two very special guests:  Robbie Nock, a Worldwide Rugby commentator you can find on the pitchside interviewing rugby players and coaches during this World Cup, and occasionally act! Yes, it was Robbie who played the illustrious William Webb Ellis at the opening ceremony! Respect! I also spoke with  Bill Hooper, Rugby journalist for the Rugby Paper and we discussed the opening game, that game against Uruguay...ouch, and the tournament so far.<br /><br />Enjoy the French Rugby CONNECTIONS, the French Rugby podcast with the gallic twist!<br /><br /><br /></p><br /></p>

00:27:26

Finally, the RWC is here!!!!

Oui!!!!!<br />Yes, Veronique Landew and Tom Dickson try their best to communicate the excitement that has taken over France and the Rugby world as we are about to start the best World Cup ever.<br />Looking ahead to France vs. New Zealand at their first meeting of the competition on Friday, might there be a second on 28th October?<br />Beset by injuries in key positions, the depth of the French team will be sorely tested under the Indian summer heat on Friday.<br />The rest of the week-end holds crackers in store, possibly the best weekend of the pool stages.  Tom will be watching 4 of the Top 8 teams in Marseille where upsets are possible, and we'll be keeping our eye on Wales vs Fiji for the same.<br />Have a good competition, see you at the other end of the pool stages! Enjoy the French Rugby CONNECTIONS Podcast, the rugby podcast with a gallic twist!</p>

00:26:47

Top 14 final! La vie est belle

And they think it's all over!<br />The season finishes with a magical try from Romain Ntamack - who else?  Zero to hero in a sprint. Tom Dickson and Veronique Landew go through the highs and lows of the climax of the Top 14, which leaves the Toulouse correspondent grinning from ear to ear. As the Bouclier de Brennus enjoys a holiday on Leucate Plage doubling as Tony o'Bridge's surfboard, the dust settles on a classic 22-23 Season of Top 14 and ProD2.<br /><br />Tom and Veronique will be back after their own break with the occasional World Cup special and an eye on the continuing Top 14 and ProD2.<br /><br />Watch out for the 'friendlies' every week-end during August, before the opening night France vs New Zealand 21h Friday 8th September. Allez les Bleus! <br /><br />Enjoy the French Rugby CONNECTIONS Podcast, the rugby podcast with the gallic twist! </p>

00:23:08

Quelle surprise...not! Toulouse faces La Rochelle in the Top 14 Final!

We await the perfect final of the #1 against the #2.  Toulouse has beaten La Rochelle twice this season and is relatively relaxed, chilled on a hammock, swallowing oysters for fun;-)... How will the final-winning habit of o'Gara spoil their day?  On verra. We will see.<br /><br />Our two mastodons of the Top 14 float effortlessly into the final, and what a final it promises to be.  Heft, fatigue, and artistry will give us a final flowing in waves of dominance - who will be ahead after 80 minutes?<br /><br />Toulouse annihilated Racing 92 from the outset, saving the 'cadres 'aka the big chiefs after 47+ minutes.  La Rochelle played a blinder keeping Bordeaux Begles in their place with hardly a moment of doubt, but with less elegance and visible tiredness until the last minute.<br />Enjoy the French Rugby CONNECTIONS Podcast, the rugby podcast with the garlic flair! 25 mins long,</p>

00:25:30

Deux Demis, s'il vous plaît! Cheers!

Deux demis, or do we have a couple of sémillon? <br /><br /> Veronique Landew and Tom Dickinson enthuse about the festival of rugby in San Sébastien as the Top 14 squeezes down to the two finalists.  Do we go for the obvious winners, or expect some surprising magic from Finn Russell of Racing and Matthieu Jalibert of Bordeaux.  Wrapping up a fine Pro D2 season, with RWC23 ticket hints plus a reminder to see Les Bleus in Murrayfield.  Yet again we have it all with a classic French accent! <br />Enjoy the French Rugby CONNECTIONS Podcast, the rugby podcast with the gallic flair!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>

00:31:50

And Make La Rochelle a double! Santé!

A third successive French Double.  La Rochelle and Toulon complete a 3-year run of French teams at the top of both European cups.  <br /><br />Veronique Landew and Tom Dickson analyze the wonderful displays in Dublin where Rugby nudged perfection.  What does it say to the rest of the world when two Northern Hemisphere clubs put on such a thrilling display, way above what clubs and test matches have been serving us for years?<br /><br />We glance at the two semi-finals that give us Oyonnax vs Grenoble at Ernest Wallon on Saturday night and go through what's being played for on Sunday night's fest of the 7 simultaneous Top 14 matches.  <br />Will Tom be able to stick to his seat to enjoy the Toulouse vs Brive dead-rubber, or will he be rushing to the Brasserie du Stade to follow the changing rankings of the Top 14 table as the other 6 games unfold?<br /><br />Please like and review us wherever you get your podcasts, and share and recommend us on your various socials.  It really does help people find us and keep us going to a fourth season.<br /><br />Enjoy the French Rugby CONNECTIONS, the rugby podcast with the gallic twist!</p>

00:26:40

King and Prince of European Rugby, Please Rise!

King and Prince of Europe, please rise!  Veronique and Tom are looking forward to historic victories of La Rochelle and Toulon as they stamp French names on to the European Champions Cup and the European Challenge Cup.  Can the mighty Leinster fall in their own back yard?  Oui!<br /><br />Veronique's chou-chou the mighty Vannes travel to Oyonnax for the first Prod D2 semi-final, and ferociously close match is expected at Grenoble (home of Vincent Clerc and Ange Capuozzo) vs Stade Montois.<br /><br />Hot from Fabien Galthié's opening Press Conference, Tom explains the End of the planning of the start of the preparation of the imminent World Cup.  It's beginning to feel a lot like heating up!<br /><br />Enjoy the French Rugby CONNECTIONS, the rugby podcast with the gallic flair!</p>

00:28:22

Crowning, comebacks & final countdown...French Rugby is on FIRE!

Did anyone catch any other Rugby players attending the Coronation apart from Tindall and McCaw?  Did anyone get Tom's gag about McCaw arriving at the Abbey late, coming in at the side, and getting away with it?<br />The end-of-season excitement, upsets, and heroics left Tom and Veronique breathless with admiration not least for Brive, Perpignan, and that man Tony o'Bridge, aka A. Dupont.<br />Stade Toulousain is already qualified for the semi-finals and now has left to play.... Perpignan and Brive.  Veronique is raising virtually her beret to Brive! It was such an amazing but heart-attack-inducing game against Montpellier last weekend!<br />The Top 14 Playoff places are all to play for, and ProD2 is on fire.<br />Tom is digging out his raincoat for the three-day Sevens-fest landing this weekend at Ernest Wallon, whilst catching the Top 14 action and ProD2 semis.  French Rugby is on fire!<br />Enjoy the French Rugby CONNECTIONS, the rugby podcast with the Gallic twist and je ne sais quoi!</p>

00:29:53