Thank you, Derek
Following the loss of the Toronto Arrows in late 2023, and an increased workload outside of the podcast, Derek Bressette has announced that he will be stepping away from his regular role with Le Rouge Rugby.
Derek was with Dan Murphy when the podcast started in 2019, and has been following the progression of Canadian rugby in professional environements since, chronologically following the tenure of the Toronto Arrows in Major League Rugby (MLR,) the continued efforts of the Canadian Men’s Senior XVs, and the meteoric rise of Canada Women’s Senior XV. Stu was invited to join the podcast in 2020, and will remain with the podcast going forward.
Derek wished to provide the following message to the fans of the podcast:
“For the past five years, Le Rouge Rugby has been a massive part of my life. Back when Dan and myself first talked about starting a podcast to cover the Toronto Arrows, I never imagined the show reaching 5 years and over 220 episodes. Le Rouge Rugby provided some brilliant experiences over the years. I got to cover a Canada vs Leinster match, see the Arrows play in Las Vegas, interview some of my favourite players, witness the first professional rugby games in Canada, and so much more.
I would like to thank everyone who was with the Toronto Arrows organization from 2019-2023 for giving our show the access that they did. Furthermore, I would like to thank everyone at Major League Rugby, Rugby Canada, and other members of the rugby media that we interacted with over the years. Thank you to every guest that appeared on our show. I still cannot believe you all agreed to do it! Thank you everyone that listened or watched even one second of the show. It meant the world to me.
Lastly, thank you to Dan and Stu for joining me on this ride.”
As for the future of the podcast, output will be reduced for the meanwhile, and will look to ramp up again for the Sevens Challenger Series in March & April, the Pacific Four Series in May, the Pacific Nations Cup in August (plus any further games in Canada’s qualification journey for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup,) and - of course - the Women’s Rugby World Cup in August and September.
While external factors will determine the podcast’s long-term future, we are happy to commit to delivering Canadian rugby content throughout 2025.