Latest news with #ProD2
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
The 'brilliant' new way to watch Wales stars play for free as Dan Biggar joins coverage
The 'brilliant' new way to watch Wales stars play for free as Dan Biggar joins coverage The move has been hailed as a 'game-changer' by rugby fans Biggar will be part of FR-UK's coverage of Friday's Pro D2 play-off semi-final (Image:) Rugby fans across Wales tuned in to watch Welsh internationals Sam Davies and George North go head-to-head in the French second-tier on Thursday night, as Grenoble hosted Provence in the Pro D2 play-off semi-finals. But those watching didn't need to pay a hefty subscription fee or even sign up for a seven-day trial, as the action was streamed for free on YouTube. In a move that has been hailed as a "game-changer", podcast host Tim Cocker has bought the rights to broadcast Pro D2 games for free in the UK and Ireland via his channel FR-UK Rugby. The deal has seen Cocker - co-host of the EggChasers Rugby Podcast and a former rugby reporter for BT Sport - not only acquire the rights to this season's play-off matches, but also 35 fixtures next season. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. As well as Davies and North, the French second division also features the likes of former England star Courtney Lawes and Wales international Ross Moriarty, who both play for Brive, while Ospreys fly-half Owen Williams will join Nice this summer. The broadcasts see Cocker commentate on the games, with former England international Joe Worsley, a coach at Brive, on hand to provide analysis. After Cocker, Worsley and the FR-UK Rugby team signed the landmark deal earlier this month, their YouTube channel now has just under 13,000 subscribers, with 14,000 people watching their broadcast of the Grenoble v Provence clash. Fans were delighted at being able to watch the action from the comfort of their own homes free of charge, with one telling Cocker: "You've played a blinder, Tim! It's going to be brilliant to be able to watch Pro D2 matches next season." Another who tuned in to Thursday night's action added: "Really looking forward to more live ProD2, well done Tim, Joe and all involved securing rights and promotion of some fantastic rugby. "This has been such a good watch!" wrote another. "Thank you Tim for sorting this [so] that the rest of us can watch and enjoy." FR-UK Rugby will also be broadcasting the second Pro D2 play-off final between Brive and Montauban from 7.50pm on Friday night, with Wales icon Dan Biggar joining the coverage. The fly-half, who has announced his retirement from rugby after seeing out his career with Toulon, is expected to put his French skills to the test as he watches his former international team-mate Moriarty in action. Explaining why and how he acquired the rights in an interview with The Telegraph, Cocker said that talks with Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) and Canal+, the league's rights holders, started a year ago, with Worsley's connections in the French game helping to get a deal over the line. 'It's mad and it's brilliant and I think it speaks to the forward-thinking nature of French rugby,' he said. 'I think that's the same attitude that persuades Top 14 bosses to give a third of the money from their TV deal to Pro D2, because they recognise it can help the whole sport grow and they have somewhere to go if they ever drop down. 'It's big-picture thinking. When we were first chatting to them, we had no subscribers. But we believe in the vision and so do they." Article continues below Outlining FR-UK's future plans, Cocker added: 'Longer-term, we want to do something that feels professional and high-quality but is distinct from other broadcasts. "What's the point in being on a new platform if you don't do something new with the coverage? We're pioneers in the Wild West with no road map. Let's do something different.'
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales exile stuns stadium with two moments of magic as George North defeated
Wales exile stuns stadium with two moments of magic as George North defeated The Welsh fly-half pulled the strings in a masterful display as his side took another step towards promotion to the top flight Davies pulled the strings as North (inset) had a frustrating night Wales international Sam Davies delivered another masterful performance as he guided Grenoble to victory in their Pro D2 play-off semi-final against George North's Provence. The former Ospreys and Dragons fly-half - who won the last of his eight Welsh caps in 2017 - has been a revelation since moving to France two years ago, earning glowing reviews week in, week out and being named as the league's player of the season at the end of his maiden campaign across the Channel. His outstanding performances were not quite enough to guide Grenoble to promotion to the Top 14 last season, as they suffered an agonising play-off final defeat to Vannes. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. However, Davies and his team-mates are determined to go all the way this time around and made a very promising start to their play-off journey as they recorded a commanding 38-17 win over Provence in Thursday night's semi-final. As usual, the 31-year-old was at the heart of the action as he notched 18 points with his boot, nailing three conversions and three penalties as well as landing a stunning drop goal towards the end of the the first half. With Grenoble leading 13-0, Provence cleared the ball from a goal-line drop-out, but it fell right into the hands of Davies, who caught it while stood just inside his own half. After stepping into the opposition half, however, the Welshman let fly with his left foot from 40 metres out, with the ball sailing through the posts to send the home fans wild and put his team further clear, with Romain Fusier crossing for a try moments before half-time. However, Davies would top his drop goal just two minutes after the break, as he set up his side's third try in remarkable style and at the expense of his fellow Wales international North. Despite their commanding lead, Grenoble flew out of the blocks again in the second half and piled pressure on Provence, with Thibaut Martel reading the run of North and leaving him on the deck with a thumping tackle that saw the Welsh legend spill the ball loose. The ball was instead pounced upon as the home side started a counter-attack, and it fell into Davies' hands again just outside the Provence 22. From there, he floated a pinpoint cross-field kick in the direction of the onrushing Gerswin Mouton and it bounced just inside the left touchline and into the arms of the wing as he evaded two defenders to touch down. It was another moment of magic from Davies, who earned the plaudits from his team-mates, fans and the media post-match, with reporters in France hailing him as a "maestro". Article continues below For North, however, it was a less memorable night as he was withdrawn from the action after 52 minutes, with his team falling to defeat despite having a man advantage for the final 25 minutes after Richard Hardwick was shown a red card. Grenoble will now go on to face either Brive or Montauban in the final next weekend as they bid to win promotion to the Top 14. Wales international Ross Moriarty is set to feature for Brive in their semi-final on Friday night, with the back rower looking to give a parting gift to his side before his expected return to Welsh rugby with the Ospreys next season.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
‘I bought French rugby TV rights instead of a new car'
Courtney Lawes or a new car? For Tim Cocker, there was only one winner. As one third of the trend-setting EggChasers Rugby Podcast, Cocker, alongside Jonathan 'JB' Beardmore and Phil Largan, has long been a disruptor to the rugby media landscape, delivering episodes on every single Monday morning for almost 12 years. His latest project is quite different. After spotting a gap in the market, Cocker has bought the rights to showcase the French second division to the United Kingdom and Ireland via his YouTube channel FR-UK Rugby. The deal has seen him acquire not only this season's Pro D2 play-offs but also 35 matches next term, providing a platform for a league that carries a reputation for madcap moments and is attracting recognisable players from these shores. And it already boasts a cult following, as FR-UK Rugby's opening weekend broadcasting the barrages stage demonstrated. On Thursday night Provence, featuring George North and Teimana Harrison, overcame Jonny May's Soyaux-Angoulême. The following evening produced a fairytale in Haute-Garonne. Montauban, who had finished sixth in the regular season, landed an away victory over third-placed Colomiers thanks to a 79th-minute drop-goal from Thomas Fortunel that sailed through the posts from 45 metres. FR-UK Rugby's Thursday production represented Cocker's maiden commentary. Joe Worsley, the former England back-rower now at Brive as Lawes' defence coach, was his analyst. An 'off-tube' – or remotely recorded – programme peaked at 2,500 concurrent viewers. 'So far, so good' is Cocker's modest assessment. 'I'm just really, really happy it went to air, because we didn't have time for tests or dry runs,' he admits. 'It was seat-of-the-pants stuff without any marketing to get the message out. We've shown there is an existing audience there. 'How can you not love a last-minute drop-goal to seal an underdog's tale? The scenes of Montauban fans on the pitch taking selfies with the players afterwards. That, to me, is what Pro D2 is all about. 'I was in my office where I do my YouTube videos and Joe was in the coaches' office in Brive. And, yeah, it was my first-ever commentary. I've been a reporter, I've anchored coverage but I've never done that before. I already had massive respect for Nick Mullins from years of working alongside him. I now have even more for the guys who call the game and capture those moments. I'm looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into it even more.' Heritage, French flair, 'old-school romance' and 'rugby-mad towns' are the chief ingredients of Pro D2's allure, according to Cocker. The prize of promotion to the Top 14, he suggests, means these play-offs will contain 'some of the most intense, emotional rugby you will ever see'. Watching familiar faces for free is an obvious pull, and Lawes' move from Northampton Saints to Brive last summer was a significant development for Cocker. 'Courtney Lawes is probably my most favourite ever player,' he adds. 'I don't have posters on the wall or anything; I just love the guy. Over my seven years as a reporter for BT Sport, he'd often stroll over, shake my hand and have a little natter. 'He's the personification of that Theodore Roosevelt quote: 'Speak softly, carry a big stick and you'll go far.' Courtney's a lovely human being but an animal on the pitch and Brive signing him felt like a seismic shift in the landscape. He was a recent England captain, a 100-capper and could have been – and could still be – a British and Irish Lion again in Australia. It felt big.' Cocker fell in love with rugby again as a fan at the World Cup France had already altered the course of Cocker's professional life. Two years ago, he was told that there would be no further opportunities at BT Sport. Despite the guts of two decades working in radio, Cocker had never had a contract longer than 12 months. As satisfying as it was to supplement presenting for Virgin Radio with a 'dream gig' of touchline reporting and interviewing, he was phlegmatic about the setback. It allowed him to ease off on a daily commute between Chorlton and London and he seized the chance to 'scratch an itch', spending seven weeks in a campervan for the 2023 World Cup. Travelling around France, he 'fell in love with rugby all over again'. Meanwhile, he took the helm of the EggChasers YouTube channel, which boomed in popularity: 'I funded myself, rolled the dice and backed myself a bit. It was a game-changer.' James Lewis, an experienced executive producer who will be working on the British and Irish Lions tour for Sky Sports, and director Dougie Andrews make up FR-UK Rugby. Worsley, according to Cocker, was 'the spark that lit the whole thing'. He hammered the phone and even blagged his way into an audience with Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) bosses at last season's Champions Cup final. After first contacting LNR and Canal+, the major rights holders, about a year ago, an agreement was finalised only last week. It would not be prudent for Cocker to divulge the exact figure. 'Put it this way, my wife and I have not bought a new car because I've bought Pro D2 rights instead' he says, grinning. LNR and Canal+ have taken a punt, yet can bank on enthusiasm and commitment. 'It's mad and it's brilliant and I think it speaks to the forward-thinking nature of French rugby,' Cocker adds. 'I think that's the same attitude that persuades Top 14 bosses to give a third of the money from their TV deal to Pro D2, because they recognise it can help the whole sport grow and they have somewhere to go if they ever drop down. 'It's big-picture thinking. When we were first chatting to them, we had no subscribers. But we believe in the vision and so do they.' Semi-final week will require alternative arrangements because Worsley will be part of Brive's battle with Montauban. Sam Davies, the erstwhile Wales fly-half, is in action the previous evening as Grenoble host Provence. An intriguing hook is there, as are plans for innovative access and behind-the-scenes footage, leaning into the customs and colour of the competition. 'Longer-term, we want to do something that feels professional and high-quality but is distinct from other broadcasts,' Cocker says. 'What's the point in being on a new platform if you don't do something new with the coverage? We're pioneers in the Wild West with no road map. Let's do something different.' Cocker prepares and records six radio shows a week. He is also renovating two barns in Shropshire and finds time to coach Manchester Metropolitan University twice a week on a voluntary basis. All that said, recording one or two videos a day is his bread and butter. 'YouTuber' is his 'main job' and answering to himself, he admits, is both 'scary and liberating'. The EggChasers channel has swelled to 138,000 subscribers. FR-UK Rugby shot from 6,300 on Wednesday night to over 10,000 by Saturday morning. Those signing up have got good value. Besides the live stream, FR-UK Rugby published previews and short highlight packages. Worsley translated interviews in real time and Cocker brought the authenticity and passion he prides himself upon. Relentless consistency is another asset. The support of Cocker's family can be summarised by the story of how his wife, Kate, interrogated the EggChasers analytics after the World Cup and spotted strong viewership in Ireland and South Africa. Kate encouraged Cocker to travel to South Africa for the series between the Springboks and Ireland in 2024, which he did. 'I have the time and freedom to react to what is happening,' Cocker says. 'I keep things simple and just throw out opinions, often while talking through an idea. And I am constantly there. If I go away on holiday, the channel comes with me. I have a publishing house in my pocket, which is my phone. 'It's the same with the podcast I have with JB and Phil that has gone for nearly 12 years every single Monday morning. If I can use a rugby analogy, fans of any team will love a player who doesn't get headlines or highlight reels but is just pure effort and heart. I think I'm that guy. I've got a work ethic because I absolutely love it. I absolutely love rugby.' Rewinding to the source of this infatuation, Cocker was introduced to rugby when he and his brother Nic Rouse, the former London Irish lock who now coaches Richmond's forwards, moved from Kent to live with their mother in Newbury after their parents split up. 'Obviously it was a difficult time,' Cocker says. 'But I joined Newbury Under-8s and felt an instant belonging. It was identity, community, friendship. And that's never left me. The artistry and brutality of the sport is fantastic but the secret sauce is everything around it. That's why I want to bring it to so many people.'
IOL News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Rejuvenated Curwin Bosch set to play for Barbarians against Springboks
Former Sharks players Curwin Bosch will play for the Barbarians against the Springboks at the end of the month. Photo: Backpagepix Last week, Deans announced the first wave of his star-studded squad, which includes Ireland veterans Peter O'Mahony and Conor Murray, as well as former All Blacks captain Sam Cane. Bosch, a two-cap Springbok, is enjoying a new lease of life in France's second division with Brive. According to Rapport, Bosch has been playing with renewed freedom since leaving the Sharks at the end of the 2023 season and is on track to feature against the Boks. Barbarians coach Robbie Deans has reportedly approached former Sharks fly-half Curwin Bosch to represent the invitational side against the Springboks in Cape Town on 28 June. Now 27, Bosch played 155 matches for the Sharks across all competitions between 2016 and 2023. He earned his first Springbok cap in 2017 in a Test against Argentina in Gqeberha—his hometown and the city where he attended Grey High School. His second and final appearance came in 2018, when Rassie Erasmus selected him for a friendly against Wales in Washington. Bosch joined the Sharks straight out of school and remained with the Durban-based franchise until his move to France last year. He describes the transition as the best decision he could have made. 'It's a new environment. I had put a lot of pressure on myself to make the Springbok squad, and that was my only goal,' Bosch explained. 'It was something I thought about every day. I tried to become a perfect rugby player.' 'I wanted to do everything right, but in the process, I started doing less, because I wanted to be perfect,' he added. 'It will always be a dream to play for the Boks, but it's good that I took myself out of that South African environment. In France, I'm just playing rugby again and not overthinking everything.' Bosch has helped Brive to a strong campaign, with 20 wins from 30 matches. The club now prepares to host Montauban in next weekend's Pro D2 semi-finals. 'I have a lot of confidence, and the team has also done well. It's the first time in a long while that I've been so comfortable with my own game,' Bosch said.
The 42
19-05-2025
- Business
- The 42
Biarritz demoted to French rugby's third tier over financial concerns
FORMER FRENCH RUGBY powerhouse Biarritz have been relegated to the third tier over concerns about their financial situation, France's national rugby league announced Monday. The league said in a statement it had 'demoted the club for financial reasons to the French national championship (third tier) at the end of the 2024/2025 season'. The body further justified its decision, citing Biarritz's 'worsening financial situation and the uncertainties surrounding their ability to continue operating'. Advertisement The club, which played in the second division this season, have also been deducted six points for next season. Biarritz said immediately they would appeal. 'The club intends to cooperate fully with the competent authorities by providing all the necessary evidence of its good faith, rigorous management and legitimacy to play in the Pro D2 (second division),' Biarritz said in a statement. The Basque country club finished the season in mid-table, thus avoiding relegation on the pitch. Biarritz reached the 2005/06 Heineken Cup final — they were beaten by Munster — contested the Champions Cup final in 2010 and won the Challenge Cup two years later, but have since fallen on hard times. They were relegated to the second tier of French rugby in 2014 and only returned to the first division Top 14 for one season, in 2021-2022. Last year, Biarritz were taken over by a trio of former players led by Shaun Hegarty, who sought out prominent financial backers to ensure the club's status in the second division. – © AFP 2025
