Stephen Donald and Israel Dagg. Photo / Supplied
Former Rugby World Cup champs Israel Dagg and Stephen Donald are the latest rugby stars to make a TV show in France.
Last month Spy revealed former All Black Carlos Spencer and former Māori All Black Matua Parkinson will hit screens this month with their rugby sojourn for Prime called Lost in France.
Donald, 39, says his and Dagg’s show Izzy and Beaver’s French Connection, is basically him and Dagg, 35, driving across the South of France, trying not to make fools of themselves and creating a little mischief.
The pair had just made the TV show Clubhouse Rescue on Bravo and had so much fun that they were looking for another project they could do together.
The next thing they knew Bravo offered them a travel show in France.
“Hanging out in France for a month with my old mate, Beaver? Stop it!” Dagg tells Spy.
Donald adds: “People can expect lots of laughs as well as plenty of history, food, culture and some pretty spectacular scenery.”
Dagg says even though most test matches tend to be played in Paris, it’s in the South of France where people are crazy about rugby.
“Places like Toulouse where we begin our road trip for the show. I can’t wait for everyone to see Beaver on the screen, because I think people will really be surprised by him with this show.”
All the crew assumed the pair had been close mates for years, but Dagg says they didn’t really know each other that well as All Blacks.
“I keep referring to him as “me old mate” because it honestly feels that way. This trip is really a bromance. More than a few decent butt slaps thrown in too.”
The pair travel from Toulouse to Nice in a little Fiat, visiting 1000-year-old churches and castles, ancient Roman arenas, stunning wineries, beautiful beaches, dramatic mountains, with even the odd opera house thrown in.
Chance encounters with former rugby greats, other sporting greats, musicians and actors as well as locals, they say gave them a great taste of French life.
Donald is the history guy and Dagg is all about the culture and food. Saint-Tropez and Nice were Dagg’s favourite stops.
“We got to stay in this legendary hotel called Byblos where all the superstars like Mick Jagger, Cher, Jack Nicholson, Lady Gaga, George Clooney etc. stay. So we fitted right in!” says Dagg.
Donald stayed in Clooney’s usual suite and says the Hollywood star has very good taste. Clooney arrived the week after.
“It was funny in Saint Tropez where everyone thought we must be famous movie stars or soccer players because of the film crew,” says Dagg.
For Donald, it was Nimes and Gordes that took his breath away. In Gordes, they stayed at a boutique hotel on an olive farm surrounded by mountains, where the town itself sits atop secret tunnels and caves.
“Most Kiwis seem to have never heard of Nimes, but it’s the single most Roman city in the world outside of Rome itself. You’ve got this 2000-year old gladiator arena that almost looks exactly like the Colosseum except more intact.
“We got to kick a rugby ball around inside it which was awesome.”