French domestic rugby union club competition
2007–08 Top 14 season Countries France Champions Toulouse (17th title)Runners-up Clermont Relegated Auch , Albi Matches played 185 Attendance 2,188,767 (average 11,831 per match) Highest attendance 79,779 Stade Français v Toulouse 22 March 2008 Lowest attendance 3,159 Auch v Castres 15 March 2008 Top point scorer Brock James (Clermont ) 301 pointsTop try scorer Napolioni Nalaga (Clermont ) 18 tries
The 2007–08 Top 14 Competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition, operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Because France hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup , the competition did not begin at its normal time of August, but instead started on the last weekend in October 2007, one week after the Rugby World Cup final. The league compensated for the late start by playing on several weekends that it normally skips, namely the weekends of the 2008 Six Nations Championship and the semifinals and final of the 2007–08 Heineken Cup . The season ended on June 28, 2008, with Toulouse defeating regular-season league leader Clermont 26–20 in the final and thereby lifting the Bouclier de Brennus .
This year's edition of the Top 14 welcomed Auch and Dax , who earned promotion from Rugby Pro D2 .[ 1] Agen and Narbonne were relegated from the Top 14.
As in previous seasons, the top four clubs at the end of the home-and-away season advanced to a single-elimination playoff. The semifinals were held at neutral sites, with the final at Stade de France . Going into the season, the top six clubs were guaranteed of berths in the 2008-09 Heineken Cup . Since Toulouse advanced to the 2007–08 Heineken Cup final against Irish club Munster , thereby assuring a higher finish for a French team in that competition than for any team from England or Italy , the seventh-place club also earned a berth in the 2008-09 Heineken Cup. The bottom two teams were provisionally relegated to Pro D2, with the possibility of one or both of the bottom teams to be reprieved if a team above them failed a postseason financial audit. This happened in 2007-08, as Albi failed the audit, ultimately giving a reprieve to second-from bottom Dax.
This season, LNR trialled a modification to the bonus point system in both the Top 14 and Pro D2. The system to be used this season was:[ 2]
4 points for a win.
2 points for a draw.
1 "bonus" point for winning while scoring at least 3 more tries than the opponent. This replaces the standard bonus point for scoring 4 tries regardless of the match result.
1 "bonus" point for losing by 7 points (or less).
This system was explicitly intended to prevent a losing team from earning two bonus points, as is possible under the standard system.[ 2]
Teams
Club
City (department)
Stadium
Capacity
Previous season
Albi
Albi (Tarn )
Stadium Municipal d'Albi
12,000
10th
Auch
Auch (Gers )
Stade Jacques Fouroux
7,000
Promoted from Pro D2 (champions)
Bayonne
Bayonne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques )
Stade Jean Dauger
16,934
8th
Biarritz
Biarritz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques )
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
15,000
Semi-finals (4th in league)
Bourgoin
Bourgoin-Jallieu (Isère )
Stade Pierre Rajon
9,441
6th
Brive
Brive-la-Gaillarde (Corrèze )
Stade Amédée-Domenech
15,000
9th
Castres
Castres (Tarn )
Stade Pierre-Fabre
11,500
11th
Clermont
Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme )
Stade Marcel-Michelin
16,574[ a 1]
Runners up (3rd in league)
Dax
Dax (Landes )
Stade Maurice Boyau
16,170
Promoted from Pro D2 (runners up)
Montauban
Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne )
Stade Sapiac
11,500
7th
Montpellier
Montpellier (Hérault )
Stade Yves-du-Manoir [ a 2]
15,789
12th
Perpignan
Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales )
Stade Aimé Giral
16,593
5th
Stade Français
Paris , 16th arrondissement
Stade Jean-Bouin [ a 3]
12,000
Champions (1st in league)
Toulouse
Toulouse (Haute-Garonne )
Stade Ernest-Wallon [ a 4]
19,500
Semi-finals (2nd in league)
Locations of the 2007–08 Top 14 teams
Number of teams by regions
Table
^ Montauban received a Heineken Cup berth because Toulouse advanced farther in the 2007–08 Heineken Cup than any team from England or Italy .
^ Due to financial irregularities, SC Albi were relegated to the Pro D2 for 2008-09. This saved Dax from relegation and gave them what had been Albi's place in the Challenge Cup .[ 3]
Fixtures & Results
Round 1
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 8,973[ 4]
Stade Français 23–17 Clermont (1 BP)
Stade de France Attendance: 75,620[ 5]
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 7,699[ 6]
Bourgoin 10–8 Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 5,179[ 7]
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 10,552[ 8]
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 7,055[ 9]
Montpellier 19–12 Perpignan (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 11,058[ 10]
Round 2
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 11,027[ 8]
(1 BP) Toulouse 28–9 Stade Français
Stadium Municipal Attendance: 34,791[ 11]
Albi 21–16 Perpignan (1 BP)
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 7,381[ 12]
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 4,066[ 13]
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 14,495[ 14]
Montauban 15–12 Castres (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 7,458[ 15]
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 14,022[ 16]
Round 3
(1 BP) Stade Français 46–6 Bayonne
Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 8,968[ 17]
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 10,817[ 6]
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 6,150[ 4]
(1 BP) Montauban 43–14 Brive
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 6,339[ 15]
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 8,895[ 10]
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 11,860[ 18]
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 6,417[ 12]
Round 4
Stade Français 22–19 Dax (1 BP)
Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 8,541[ 17]
(1 BP) Bayonne 10–14 Biarritz
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 14,025[ 16]
Auch 19–13 Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 4,055[ 13]
(1 BP) Brive 6–9 Montpellier
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 7,899[ 8]
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 6,785[ 9]
Stade Ernest-Wallon Attendance: 16,524[ 19]
(1 BP) Bourgoin 14–20 Clermont
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 7,452[ 7]
Round 5
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 4,980[ 13]
Clermont 21–17 Toulouse (1 BP)
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 14,837[ 14]
(1 BP) Bayonne 35–8 Perpignan
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 12,346[ 16]
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 6,560[ 9]
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 6,242[ 4]
Montpellier 19–14 Albi (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 9,950[ 10]
Montauban 24–16 Stade Français
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 9,053[ 15]
Round 6
Biarritz 10–8 Montauban (1 BP)
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 7,664[ 6]
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 5,865[ 12]
Bourgoin 15–10 Bayonne (1 BP)
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 5,351[ 7]
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 12,827[ 14]
Perpignan 23–19 Brive (1 BP)
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 11,644[ 18]
Stade Français 33–6 Montpellier
Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 8,452[ 17]
(1 BP) Toulouse 44–23 Castres
Stade Ernest-Wallon Attendance: 14,228[ 19]
Round 7
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 6,681[ 13]
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 8,389[ 8]
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 7,928[ 6]
Bourgoin 16–31 Stade Français
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 7,803[ 7]
Castres 15–14 Clermont (1 BP)
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 7,545[ 9]
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 6,082[ 15]
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 10,068[ 10]
Round 8
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 11,433[ 18]
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 10,954[ 16]
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 8,844[ 8]
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 5,522[ 4]
(1 BP) Toulouse 35–13 Montpellier
Stade Ernest-Wallon Attendance: 14,995[ 19]
(1 BP) Albi 18–23 Stade Français
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 7,866[ 12]
Clermont 12–9 Biarritz (1 BP)
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 14,390[ 14]
Round 9
Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 9,250[ 17]
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 3,482[ 13]
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 9,193[ 6]
Bourgoin 23–17 Montpellier (1 BP)
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 4,886[ 7]
(1 BP) Castres 37–17 Bayonne
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 7,650[ 9]
Perpignan 18–17 Clermont (1 BP)
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 12,290[ 18]
(1 BP) Montauban 12–16 Toulouse
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 9,054[ 15]
Round 10
(1 BP) Montpellier 14–18 Biarritz
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 11,309[ 10]
(1 BP) Toulouse 41–15 Perpignan
Stade Ernest-Wallon Attendance: 18,931[ 19]
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 5,929[ 12]
Bayonne 25–18 Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 11,989[ 16]
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 5,767[ 4]
Stade Français 15–12 Auch (1 BP)
Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 8,641[ 17]
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 13,072 [ 8]
Round 11
Castres 16–47 Stade Français (1 BP)
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 8,836[ 9]
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 11,396[ 16]
(1 BP) Clermont 40–13 Montauban
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 13,120[ 14]
Montpellier 18–13 Dax (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 10,780[ 10]
Perpignan 28–23 Auch (1 BP)
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 11,470[ 18]
Stade Ernest-Wallon Attendance: 15,648[ 19]
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 5,876[ 7]
Round 12
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 6,130[ 15]
Biarritz 9–6 Stade Français (1 BP)
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 11,522[ 6]
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 8,983[ 12]
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 4,032[ 13]
(1 BP) Clermont 27–3 Bayonne
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 14,587[ 14]
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 11,140[ 18]
Bourgoin 30–23 Toulouse (1 BP)
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 7,861[ 7]
Round 13
Castres 26–19 Biarritz (1 BP)
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 7,506[ 9]
Albi 15–25 Montauban (1 BP)
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 6,492[ 12]
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 8,488[ 8]
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 6,760[ 4]
Montpellier 29–24 Auch (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 8,968[ 10]
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 14,018[ 16]
Stade Français 12–23 Perpignan
Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 8,792[ 17]
Round 14
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 6,167[ 12]
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 3,159[ 13]
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 9,645[ 16]
Montauban 16–11 Bourgoin (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 6,147[ 15]
Stade Ernest-Wallon Attendance: 14,066[ 19]
(1 BP) Perpignan 27–6 Montpellier
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 11,380[ 18]
(1 BP) Clermont 50–12 Stade Français
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 14,804[ 14]
Round 15
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 7,206[ 6]
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 4,832[ 7]
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 8,016[ 9]
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 8,903[ 4]
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 11,981[ 18]
Montpellier 17–56 Clermont (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 13,230[ 10]
(1 BP) Stade Français 29–0 Toulouse
Stade de France Attendance: 79,779[ 5]
Round 16
Toulouse 12–6 Biarritz (1 BP)
Stadium Municipal Attendance: 35,188[ 11]
Bayonne 14–36 Stade Français (1 BP)
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 13,189[ 16]
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 3,882[ 13]
(1 BP) Castres 12–17 Montpellier
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 6,642[ 9]
Brive 14–7 Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 9,289[ 8]
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 13,295[ 14]
(1 BP) Bourgoin 9–10 Perpignan
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 7,224[ 7]
Round 17
(1 BP) Dax 9–13 Stade Français
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 8,839[ 4]
Perpignan 20–18 Castres (1 BP)
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 11,653[ 18]
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 9,251[ 12]
(1 BP) Biarritz 20–0 Bayonne
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 13,044[ 6]
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 5,553[ 15]
Montpellier 20–14 Brive (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 10,022[ 10]
(1 BP) Clermont 36–7 Bourgoin
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 14,771[ 14]
Round 18
(1 BP) Bourgoin 12–14 Castres
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 8,000[ 7]
Stadium Municipal Attendance: 36,000[ 20]
(1 BP) Albi 25–12 Montpellier
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 6,000[ 12]
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 8,500[ 6]
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 9,193[ 8]
(1 BP) Perpignan 38–13 Bayonne
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 12,407[ 18]
Stade Français 25–18 Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 10,000[ 17]
Round 19
(1 BP) Montpellier 9–12 Stade Français
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 13,103[ 10]
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 6,000[ 13]
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 11,500[ 16]
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 5,000[ 4]
Montauban 19–13 Biarritz (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 7,500[ 15]
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 10,347[ 8]
Game postponed due to Toulouse playing in Heineken Cup semi-finals on the same date. Game to be rescheduled for 7 May 2008.
Round 20
(1 BP) Clermont 28–35 Castres (1 BP)
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 16,574[ 14]
Stade Ernest-Wallon Attendance: 16,574[ 19]
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 14,517[ 18]
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 7,000[ 12]
Bayonne 19–16 Montpellier (1 BP)
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 12,000[ 16]
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 5,000[ 4]
Stade Français 34–20 Bourgoin
Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 8,939[ 17]
Round 19 (rescheduled game)
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 10,000[ 9]
Rescheduled from 26 April 2008.
Round 21
(1 BP) Biarritz 11–16 Clermont
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 12,500[ 6]
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 5,000[ 13]
Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 9,000[ 17]
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 6,000[ 7]
Montauban 28–22 Perpignan (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 7,000[ 21]
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 7,500[ 9]
Montpellier 17–15 Toulouse (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 15,789[ 10]
Round 22
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 13,869[ 22]
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 14,800[ 14]
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 6,000[ 12]
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 13,000[ 16]
Montpellier 12–6 Bourgoin (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 9,000[ a 5]
(1 BP) Toulouse 28–6 Montauban
Stade Ernest-Wallon Attendance: 18,870[ 24]
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 8,000[ 4]
Round 23
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 15,000[ 14]
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 6,500[ 6]
Auch 9–6 Stade Français (1 BP)
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 5,000[ 13]
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 5,000[ 7]
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 8,500[ 9]
Montauban 15–12 Bayonne (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 6,000[ 15]
(1 BP) Perpignan P - P Toulouse
Game postponed due to Toulouse playing in Heineken Cup final on the same date. Game to be rescheduled for 3 June 2008.
Round 24
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 6,000[ 13]
Brive 15–12 Toulouse (1 BP)
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 14,868[ 8]
(1 BP) Stade Français 44–15 Castres
Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 7,443[ 17]
Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 10,000[ 12]
(1 BP) Biarritz 30–10 Bourgoin
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 6,000[ 6]
Dax 16–36 Montpellier (1 BP)
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 4,500[ 4]
Montauban 18–16 Clermont (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 8,000[ 15]
Round 23 (rescheduled game)
(1 BP) Perpignan 50–6 Toulouse
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 7,889[ 18]
Rescheduled from 24 May 2008.
Round 25
Montpellier 12–8 Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir Attendance: 12,348[ 10]
Stade Français 22–18 Biarritz (1 BP)
Stade de France Attendance: 79,644[ 5]
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 13,051[ 16]
Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 10,931[ 8]
Stade Pierre-Fabre Attendance: 9,500[ 9]
(1 BP) Toulouse 57–17 Bourgoin
Stade Ernest-Wallon Attendance: 16,796[ 19]
Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 15,000[ 4]
Round 26
Stade Jacques Fouroux Attendance: 6,000[ 13]
(1 BP) Biarritz 30–34 Castres
Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 7,000[ 6]
Bourgoin 22–19 Brive (1 BP)
Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 7,000[ 7]
Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 15,827[ 14]
Montauban 24–17 Albi (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac Attendance: 6,500[ 15]
Perpignan 23–19 Stade Français (1 BP)
Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 13,517[ 18]
Toulouse 35–28 Bayonne (1 BP)
Stade Ernest-Wallon Attendance: 19,400[ 25]
Knock-out stages
Semi-finals
Final
Leading scorers
Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers
[ 27]
Top try scorers
[ 27]
Attendances
The league has seen a major increase in attendance in recent years. In 2006-07, per-game attendance averaged 10,549,[ 28] up from 9,288 in 2005–06 [ 29] and 7,255 in 2004–05 ,[ 30] when the league consisted of 16 teams instead of its current 14. The 2005-06 and 2006-07 totals are skewed to some degree because Stade Français drew over 79,000 fans to each of the two fixtures they played at Stade de France in both seasons. However, even if the Stade de France fixtures are not included, per-game attendance was 8,549 in 2005-06[ 29] and 9,267 in 2006-07,[ 28] both well above the 2004-05 figures.
The final average attendance for the 2007-08 regular season was 11,106, another increase from the previous season. The LNR also reported that league-wide season ticket sales were up by 11% from 2006-07.[ 31] The most-attended matches were the three Stade Français matches played at Stade de France, each of which drew more than 75,000, and Toulouse's three games at Stadium Municipal, each of which drew at least 30,000.[ 32]
Attendances do not include the semi-finals or final as these are at neutral venues.
Club
Home Games
Total
Average
Highest
Lowest
% Capacity
Albi
13
93,351
7,181
10,000
5,865
55%
Auch
13
62,337
4,795
6,681
3,159
69%
Bayonne
13
161,135
12,395
14,025
9,645
73%
Biarritz
13
115,573
8,890
13,044
6,000
59%
Bourgoin
13
82,464
6,343
8,000
4,832
67%
Brive
13
136,768
10,521
14,868
7,899
70%
Castres
13
102,095
7,853
10,000
6,560
68%
Clermont
13
189,327
14,564
16,574
12,827
88%
Dax
13
94,656
7,281
15,000
4,500
45%
Montauban
13
90,816
6,986
9,054
5,553
61%
Montpellier
13
144,520
11,117
15,789
8,895
70%
Perpignan
13
153,181
11,783
14,517
7,889
71%
Stade Français
13
323,069
24,851
79,779
7,443
79%
Toulouse
13
272,011
20,924
36,000
14,066
88%
See also
Notes
^ Capacity of Stade Marcel-Michelin up to 16,574 from 16,334 the previous season.
^ Montpellier moved into a new stadium this season having previously based at Stade Sabathé .
^ Stade Français would also play three home games at the 81,338 capacity Stade de France .
^ Toulouse would also play three home games at the 35,575 capacity Stadium Municipal .
^ Surprisingly there is no information available online for Montpellier's home attendance against Bourgoin on 17 May 2008, despite all other home games being accounted for. However, using figures acquired from the Sur la touche website, who state Montpellier's seasonal average attendance at 11,118, this game had a crowd of around 9,000.[ 23]
References
External links
Governing body National teams
Other notable teams Competitions
International Professional clubs Hosted events
Related articles