Chabal played for Sale Sharks whilst I worked with the football club who shared a ground with them. Crossed paths with him several times and holy cow he’s an imposing individual, he’s massive and as everyone knows he’s a tough opponent BUT what a gentleman, he’d stop and pass time with fans quite happily, of all of the players I crossed paths with he stood out ‘cause he was such a decent bloke. Loved watching him play.

As a New Zealander I love the way the French Play Rugby!

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Nice one. 👊🥊

@didierpillet2486

5 ай бұрын

thank you, it's nice, but we haven't gained anything, beauty without results is only worth the value we give them! but thanks ! , but our players without your players are nothing! love nations rugby !

@Casteeyo...

5 ай бұрын

​@mattlegg1976 hey 👋 ... nice video

@Jaimelhistoire

5 ай бұрын

Victime fragile ​@@didierpillet2486

@cordos2362

5 ай бұрын

And the French love the Kiwis, and have so much respect for their rugby (even though they don't always show it...)

I've always liked Rugby more than American football over here. We often played Rugby in the fields near out parents farms here. It was more personal, and I feel required a bit more toughness and compassion for your team to play. We were taught to play by an English boy that moved here with his parents. From then on we had about 6 teams from different neighborhoods that would play a mini league for about 6 years until most of us graduated and moved on. I miss those days!

@HighMaintenancePS

6 ай бұрын

AWESOME mate good to hear and good to watch the game developing in bed your way. You guys play it a n good spirit.

@sexobscura

6 ай бұрын

It does require and involve more strength of both character and brawn. Only minimal protection is offered against the inevitable knocks that a physical game ensures, too

@egregiousblunder5395

6 ай бұрын

@@sexobscura You've got to be a bit crazy and ugly too, that's where I excelled in rugby lol.

@Juju-uy5bb

5 ай бұрын

Very interesting thanks for sharing. Salutations de France.

@BoereViking

3 ай бұрын

Rugby it is like American Football but for men...😉

I met Chabal in Toulon ... humble and down to Earth.... One has to admire people like him

I played in a game vs Esteve for Beziers. Esteve clocked me with a happily a glance!! A monster of a man with clubs in the area. With Michel Palmie 2 monsters that never took a step back. He tried to tap my nose to be a true Bitterois. I wriggled away with what ever force I had to his laughter. So so glad to have met him.

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Ah wow! Brilliant. Thank you for the message 👊🥊

@mu0nt893

6 ай бұрын

Yeah, i can't imagine playing against Esteve AND Palmie...

The best era, it’ll never be repeated. France, Springboks, Argentina, Aus, the all blacks. No head gear, no shoulder pads, happy days. Great job mate, cheers.

Playing ruby since I was 15 during the late 70 s ,80 s and 90s I've come across many a hardman and seen plenty and I've got to say all were gentleman off the pitch,great sport,great men great video keep them coming

@pauledwards7340

6 ай бұрын

Where ?

@cwshtygriff13

6 ай бұрын

@@pauledwards7340Outside 👍

@Gazzaroo

6 ай бұрын

Sucker punching someone pretty damn cowardly and blatant cheating. Not something to be glorified

@jusele-ox9rc

6 ай бұрын

​@@Gazzaroothat was part of it back then, getting shoeing a smack in the mouth was a badge of honour afterwards plenty of ale to go along with the story and to sooth a broken nose.

@LongShadong

5 ай бұрын

Come on I’m from nz and all rugby boys are heavy drinking never fight one on one and always get away with anything and I grew up with future all blacks

As an American, I love to see and hear about the physical players in sports other than football from around the world. I think these guys would have done very well in football. Respect from the United States.

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Hi , great to hear from you. Thank you for the message 🥊👊

Merci pour cette excellente vidéo, qui m'a fait énormément plaisir. Je suis née à BÉZIERS. En 1970 (j'avais 10 ans.) j'étais supporter de l'ABS que nous allions voir au stade de Sauclières avec mon Papa. Bien sur des joueurs comme Gérard Cholley, Sébastien Chabal et Alain Estève on marquer beaucoup de personnes comme moi passionner de rugby. Jean-Luc Fabre a écrit un livre : Alain Estève, le géant de Béziers. Je recommande ce livre qui est bouleversant sur la vie d'Alain Estève. Encore merci pour cette vidéo. Yves

@jeff0469

5 ай бұрын

idem pour moi natif de Beziers en 57 j'ai vécu la décennie magique avec Esteve, les frères Vaquerins, Cantoni, Paco, Palmié, Astre, Saisset.....etc.....et Sauclieres en liesse....ah oui j’ai la nostalgie de ces années 70.....merci le rugby.

@simpleman491

5 ай бұрын

Ah ! Sauclieres le dimanche à 15h! Que de bons souvenirs ! Notamment quand L'ASB recevait Toulon 💥💥

Great video... I'm American so we don't even have rugby here but I know Sebastien Chabal! That dude is a f*****g legend... 20 + years ago when I first started lifting weights he's one of the guys I wanted to be like... I never knew the guy was as funny as he was or the music part... I love that considering I'm a guitarist myself and music is a huge part of my life... Great job, good video, I learned something today... Thank you

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Hi, thank you very much. Great to hear from you. Chabal seems to be be a great guy, I totally agree with you 👊🥊

I was fortunate enough to meet two rugby players from the Australian national team when I was in Sydney.. they were the most intimidating and humble guys in the pub.. absolute beats of men, and at the same time super friendly and cool.

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

That's great to hear. I appreciate the respectful, humble men like that 👊🥊

Thanks Matt. Good to see you digging beyond the confines of the usual UK Hardman folklore. Respect to these French working class warriors too...

The French team of the 1970s and 80s were special. Brilliant running rugby from talented mesmerising backs and absolute thuggery from the forwards. That French team had some massive games against the NZ All Blacks and the violence on the pitch matched the brilliant rugby.

I don't know why I find these stories so compelling but they are great. Love the countryside background also.

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Ah brilliant, thank you very much 🥊👊

I’m a former American football player and never really watched this sport till this year when I watched the World Cup. I’m hooked. I love the passion of these players no show boating like the NFL. This is truly a Gentleman’s sport. 💪

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Nice one, thank you for the message. Interesting to hear your views , coming from American Football. 🥊👊

Love this video Matt, bit of a move away from boxing and fighting! Great stuff mate, looking forward to more.

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it Thank you 🥊👊

Andy MacDonald. Springbok. Colin was wary of him, and said as much. That, coming from a proper old-school All Blacks 'enforcer' is testimony enough. R.I.P Sir Colin Meads. GBNF.

Never forget watching Chabal charge through opponents that hair flying with the beard, tremendous, great player. Nice one Matt you always reveal more about characters, really cool. Cheers.

Love it Matty. It keeps opening my eyes to tough men who you wouldnt necessarily think about. Thanks

I've heard people say what a good bloke Sebastian is, he seems a great bloke to have in your team,on and off the pitch. I remember watching Gerard Cholley in the 1970s, a physical beast of a man, he might have been the French army's heavyweight champion? The french had some terrifying forwards in those days. One man in particular, who would have played alongside Cholley, and played with Esteve at Bezieres, Michel Palmie, he was a dangerous man on the pitch, he was crazy, so much so the French rugby authorities banned him. Rucking in rugby was quite an experience in those days.

@Laurikiwi

4 ай бұрын

The French forwards in the amateur era were even more intimidating than the Saffers

What legends these players were. Thank you for a great video! I'm a South African and appreciate the older generation rugby too. These were players in my fathers time.

Thank you for putting these three chaps back under the spotlight. They deserve it.

Love it Matt, nobody better to keep these legends rolling ! Always boxing here , but massive love for the rugby too , so I was very happy to see you put some egg chasers stuff on your channel . A group of guys who lived tough lives I knew , were the bikers , look up a mad dude from the states name of Doug “the thug” Orr .RIP . KEEP EM COMING .

Played for 20 years. Got cracked in the head many times (punches, knees, heads), but it helps build character - & a sense of humour. Love the sport but love the camaraderie even more. Thanks for the brilliant vids!

Mon classement est 1 Cholley 2 Estève 3 Palmié 4 Chabal. J'ai vu beaucoup de matches depuis les années 70, ce n'était pas le même rugby mais certains joueurs étaient absolument monstrueux et craints. Chabal est peut être le meilleur de tous mais ce n'était pas le plus effrayant, il y avait beaucoup plus de défis physiques statiques dans les années 70-80 et d'intimidations. Des fois c'étaient la guerre My ranking is 1 Cholley, 2 Estève, 3 Palmié, 4 Chabal. I've watched a lot of matches since the '70s; it wasn't the same rugby, but some players were absolutely monstrous and feared. Chabal may be the best of all, but he wasn't the most intimidating; there were many more static physical challenges in the '70s-'80s and intimidations. Sometimes, it was like a war.

Loving the prolific style.. away a few days n i got some catching up to do! Great stuff.. thanks Matt! 🫡

Nice choice Matt and when it comes to rugby you know that there's many others who figured. Condolences to JP Williams 🙏 family, certainly a name to remember amongst the greats.

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Hi mate. Yes I've got a big list. South African, New Zealand and loads more 👍🥊

@kevingeorge8203

6 ай бұрын

J P Williams wasn't a massive man by any standards but was as tough as they come. Never took a backward step. Hard as nails. ❤

@cwshtygriff13

6 ай бұрын

JPR was an absolute gentleman’ and an amazing doctor too. Not many people know this ‘ but I was one his patients 30 years ago’ and many others were too. He was also fantastic at tennis and cricket.

@pauldurkee4764

6 ай бұрын

​@@kevingeorge8203 Not very big by modern standards, but a rock of a man. He suffered some shocking foul play but got on with it, notably that stamp on his face by NZ prop John Ashworth, he was trapped on the floor and Ashworth ripped his cheek open with his boot. He went off, his father who was a doctor, stitched his face up, and he went back on. Says a lot about JPR, and Ashworth, he never even apologised, what can you say.

@benjamin-ri2do

6 ай бұрын

R.i.p my mucca just put a pic up of jpr and my mucca knickname is lump and jpr was old bigger guy than I'd think we lost a legend

Thanks for another great video Matt!

You’re great on this channel Matt! Keep the stories coming please mate 👍🏼

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Nice one. Thank you for that 👊🥊

@thereheis2093

5 ай бұрын

@@mattlegg1976I like the vid. Great job. But I only know cm-kg. I don’t have a clue what is stone to kg

That French dude 😂😂😂 love it! Really good content Matt cheers mate 🙏

Great video Matt... your perspective is always educational and entertaining!!

Great video mate. Keep em rolling

Three absolute legends. Looking forward to more videos.

Fantastic, all massive legends in their own right, Chabal will always be one of my favourites.

The old rugby played in the 70s is the one played in heaven.🏉😇

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

👊🥊

Love your videos Matt and thanks for the great content. 10/10 as always.

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much 👍🥊

Fantastic, all 3 could've stared in game of thrones . Totally unstoppable as human beings

Good to see you back this week , quality video as usual loved the music. I grew up in Leicester and Martin Johnson was a animal and a beast of a man

@pauledwards7340

6 ай бұрын

What a joke Johnson was a big baby !

@ryansudale4904

6 ай бұрын

@@pauledwards7340 that's just my opinion mate hope you are good

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Nice one. Thank you. Yeah Martin Johnson keeps popping up in my research 👍🥊

Beautiful place at the end! Keep these videos coming. Great work! Cheers!

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Brilliant. Thank you very much 🥊👊

Hi Matt, love the video ....as per very good to learn about other sportsmen and their lives ... I hope you're well? Be happy and safe 🙏

Classic, thanks for sharing! I love it!

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Thank you Robert 👊🥊

Thanks for video Matt 👍

There is a great story on I think Esteve where during a photo shoot the photographer asked him if he could lower his look. He then replied:”I only lower my chin when I take a piss!” Being a Frenchman I often heard of those guys and how brutal they could be on the pitch

Excellent video, Matt. Some seriously tough lads in rugby !

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much. 100% 🥊👊

great video, thanks from France

Enjoyed that. Thank you

All three tough guys with different personalities shows that you can be tough without having to act tough. Man they look scary , LOVE THE VIDEO, THE STORY and The choice of people.

Great vid and a good trip down memory lane

Really cool video man, I loved the background on the players.

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Thank you very much 🥊👍👊

Great stuff mate!

Great and really interesting content. Thank you Matt

Great video. Thanks

Great content Matt, really enjoy your channel 👍🥊 🇬🇧

Great video. I knew about those French forwards from the 70s. But good to get some more details

Great video Matt! Didn’t know half of that, maybe a video about the Aussie NRL hard man would be a good shout. Plenty of them to mention!

Great vid as always Matt....

nice change of content matt,enjoyed that mate nice one👍

@mattlegg1976

4 ай бұрын

Brilliant. Thank you. I'm working on Jonah Lomu and Jerry Collins at the moment 🥊👊

Brilliant! Thanks Matt! Pete 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Thank you Pete 👊🥊

Good video i dont follow rugby so this was all new to me and very interesting.. keep the videos coming matt 😁

Brilliant video thank you

Another great video matt,

Really enjoyed this video Matt. Enjoy watching Rugby and good watching about rugby hard men for a change, although I do like the boxing and fighting stuff as well. A video on the strong men (world strongest men series) would be good, especially the British men as it’s something I watch and a lot of them have a past working as doormen etc and moving in them circles. Just a thought but may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Brilliant content as always 👍

Keep up the good work m8 big love 🙏🏻🙏🏻👊👊

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Thank you Jason 🥊👊

This is awesome, please we need to see more!

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much 🥊👊❤️

Great video, merci Sir.

Great stuff very interesting mate your doing a great thing cheers mate

Sebastien should have been in movies, he has the look of a legendary warrior.

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Definitely 🥊👊

Great video...these were extremely tough guys and great players...proper rubgy boys.

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Nice one. Thank you 👊🥊

Brilliant. Thanks for this.

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for watching 👊🥊

Good bit of history there. Cheers Matt.

Great education for me this. Thanks 👍

great vid thank you

Great video keep up the good work.

Brilliant video Matt 👍

Recommended vid and grateful for your video. 🙏Reminiscing of my 6th grade science teacher, Mr Vogel, who was active in rugby; he was brutally strong, intimidating but the most humble and kind man to this day. He got me started into love of doing sports and science. Liked your comparisons and I think functional power, athleticism and skill are lacking in most popularized sports. Spot on vid. 🤙…now to your next vid.

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Ah that's brilliant. I really appreciate your message, great to hear from you. Thank you 🥊👊

Really enjoyed the content again, love the rugby ones. More more more please

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Brilliant, thank you 🥊👊

Love content. I respect the tough athletes of 70s. Being from America I don’t watch lot of rugby and ur football but respect the men who play with heart. Thank you for both educational and entertaining vids. Just subbed. Will be watching all vids. First one was of Rooney. Was great. Congrats on getting in shape. I born in 71. Trying to do that myself. Look forward to content.

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Hi, thank you for the message, and thank you for the sub. And great to hear your getting in shape aswell. Important as we get older. 👊🥊👍

Cholley was a thug...A very powerful thug. Scary. He went out to hurt. He was truly terrifying.

Great watching, as ever. Cheers. Hope you'll do a piece on 6ft 8 policeman and England legend Wade Dooley, who England forward Martin Bayfield described as "the most naturally violent man the game of rugby has ever seen".

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much. Definitely, I'll add Wade to the list. 🥊👊👍

@vantheman1238

6 ай бұрын

@@mattlegg1976Wade Dooley by all accounts asked a referee not to send off a French forward who had kicked him in the head. He wanted to exact his own retribution. He broke the jaw of Welsh forward Phil Davies with one punch. Dooley was feared. Known as the Blackpool Tower.

@KernowekTim

6 ай бұрын

Nah. Colin Meads would sort Dooley out back in the day. Those big NZ hill farmers were/are hard men. I'll give you a real hard bugger: Graham Price, Welsh prop. In my old opinion.

@jameslast7555

6 ай бұрын

Who??? never heard of him, Bayfield was an average player at best

@redrum4100

6 ай бұрын

@@jameslast7555 Typically anyone playing for their nation is a cut above your common or garden "average" player, but then again this isn't about Bayfield, it's about Dooley. If you have never heard of Dooley, keep watching, as Matt has promised to do a slot on him.

C'est vrai qu'il y a toujours eu de sacrés bonhommes dans le rugby...en France,mais aussi dans tout les pays qui pratiquent ce magnifique sport!

Great content as always😊😊

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Thank you mate 🥊👊

More please and thank you.

Great watch.💯Brilliant content .💕

Loving this Rugby content Matt. Perhaps a video on The 99 Call, British Lions SA Tour 1974...

Spot on viddy!

Great video and information as always Matt. Have you read up on Bobby Windsor? The iron Duke absolute Welsh legend 🙌

@KernowekTim

6 ай бұрын

Yep, Bobby and Graham were a real handful.

Great vid again Matt

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Nice one Shaun 🥊👊

Another interesting watch 👍

still lovin your content matty, u the man

Great video mate

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Nice one. Thank you 🥊

Cheers Matt, love rugby..great stuff..😃x

Great stuff 👍🏻👍🏻

Bobby Windsor is a legend here in Wales, especially in Pontypool.

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Nice one 👊🥊👍

@philw245

6 ай бұрын

Bobby was a member of the only club front row to play for their country and the British Lions, the other two members being Charlie Faulkner and Graham Price. Fantastic trio of men.

@burntgod7165

6 ай бұрын

​@@philw245 The folkloric Pontypool Front Row: Price, Windsor, Faulkner.

Clicked to watch a video of 3 of the scariest men in rugby. Found myself watching Sebastian Chabal, in a banana suit, singing the Proclaimers. Great vid!

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

🤣🤣 Nice one 🥊👍

Love this Matt, more rugby stuff, this is unique, boxing, rugby and villains content is quality content ❤

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Brilliant, glad you like it. Thank you very much 🥊👊❤️

Thoroughly enjoyed that Matt

@mattlegg1976

5 ай бұрын

Brilliant. Thank you very much 👊🥊

Fantastic,these rugby vids are brilliant, pissed myself at Chabal vids😂😂😂🥊🥊🥊🥊

Wow, great show, more please!!!!

@mattlegg1976

6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much 👍🥊

Very interesting mate.

excellent!! coming from SA we love these legends 🍻