The 2012–13 Top 14 competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Two new teams from the 2011–12 Pro D2 season were promoted to Top 14 this year, Grenoble and Stade Montois in place of the two relegated teams, CA Brive and Lyon OU. Home-and-away play began on 17 August 2012 and continued through to 5 May 2013.[1] The regular season was followed by a three-round playoff involving the top six sides. The final was contested at the Stade de France between Toulon and Castres; the match was won 19–14 by Castres[2] to earn them their first title since the controversial final in 1993.[3][4]
^Biarritz has historically taken at least one home match per season to the Anoeta, but has not done so since the 2010–11 season.
^In 2012–13, Bordeaux Bègles played eight of their 13 home matches at the larger Stade Chaban-Delmas and only five at their traditional home of Stade André-Moga.
^In 2012–13, Grenoble played four home matches at the city's largest venue, Stade des Alpes.
^Stade Français' offices are in the 16th arrondissement, although they are currently playing in the 13th arrondissement.
^Stade Français' traditional home, Stade Jean-Bouin, is closed while a new stadium is built on the site; the new Jean-Bouin is expected to open for the 2013–14 season. The club also regularly takes at least three home matches per season to Stade de France; in 2012–13, they played three at Stade de France plus one at Grand Stade Lille Métropole in Villeneuve d'Ascq.
^Toulon took one home match to Stade Vélodrome in Marseille in 2012–13, resuming a past practice that they skipped in 2011–12.
^Toulouse often takes high-demand home matches to the city's largest sporting venue, Stadium Municipal. Two of their 2012–13 home matches were played there.
Updated to match(es) played on 18 May 2013. Source: ESPN Scrum Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
Competition points earned in head-to-head matches
Points difference in head-to-head matches
Try differential in head-to-head matches
Points difference in all matches
Try differential in all matches
Points scored in all matches
Tries scored in all matches
Fewer matches forfeited'
Classification in the previous Top 14 season Notes:
^Pulze, Stéphane (3 June 2013). "Castres et "la magie du rugby"" [Castres and "the magic of rugby"]. Républicain Lorrain (in French). Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
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