This week on Talking About A Carpool, hosts ofahelotu(Sydney, Australia) and Semisi Telefoni, aka "The Wine Chief"(Auckland, New Zealand), cover the business end of the European rugby seasonbefore getting into the conversation that matters most: what it actually coststo leave home for rugby. From empty apartments in Dijon to payphone calls tomum — this episode is for every player, parent, and partner navigating thatdecision right now.

Segment 1: Talk Story Starts at (0:09) The boys open withwet weather woes in Sydney and Auckland, a local derby that nearly didn'thappen, a rugby lunch at Gordon, and State of Origin celebrations. They alsocheck in on a couple of injured club teammates — prop Adrian Brown and JustinLandman — and remind listeners why good technique and S&C aren't optional.

Segment 2: Da Latest Scoop Starts at (6:10) The boys runthrough the final rounds of Premiership Rugby — Northampton leading, Bathsecond, and a crucial Exeter vs. Saracens decider for the last finals spot. Top14 wraps with Toulouse heading for the minor premiership, Montpellier and StadeFrançais locked into second and third, and a tight race for Champions Cupqualification between Bordeaux, Clermont, and La Rochelle. Pro D2 semifinalsare covered from (15:14) — Vannes demolish Oyonnax 48-7 and Provence upsetColomiers to book their final spot. URC quarterfinals from (18:43): Glasgow,Bulls, Stormers, and Leinster advance — with Leinster putting 59 on the Lions.Championship Rugby wraps the scoop with Worcester crowned champions after goingthrough administration in 2022 — one of the stories of the season.

Segment 3: Da Kuleana [Leaving Home for Rugby] Starts at(26:04) Semisi and ofahelotu share their own stories of the moment rugby tookthem away from home — Semisi from Auckland to Dijon after being dropped fromthe NPC in 2006, and ofa from Melbourne to Canberra chasing a pathway thatsimply didn't exist in his home state. They talk about what they left behind:family, community, faith, routine, and the comfort of knowing mum would havefood on the table. They also share what surprised them on arrival — theloneliness of empty apartments, the language barrier, the gap between"getting paid" and actually being professional. The segment closeswith four clear takeaways: position yourself where opportunities are wider;know what being a professional actually requires before you get there; plan forthe loneliness if you're going alone; and if you have a partner and kids, bringthem — your family is not a distraction, they are your foundation. Thissegment is extracted separately as a standalone episode for listeners who wantthe education without the scores.

Outro Starts at (1:03:34) The boys wrap up the Europeanseason, share what's coming up in their week — senior netball state titles forofa's daughters and Malakai's recovery from injury on Semisi's end. Next weekbrings URC semifinals (Glasgow vs. Bulls, Leinster vs. Stormers) and the Pro D2final. Got a question about leaving home, going pro, or anything in between?Send it through.

Follow us: IG & TikTok: @talkingabouta.carpool YouTube:@talkingaboutacarpool Email your questions: talkingaboutacarpool@gmail.com