2008-09 Top 14 season

The 2008-09 Top 14 Competition is a French domestic rugby union club competition, running from August through May, operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).

This year's edition of the Top 14 will welcome Toulon, winners of the 2008 title in the second-level Pro D2, and Mont-de-Marsan, victors in the 2008 promotion playoffs between the second- through fifth-place teams in Pro D2. They take the place of Auch and Albi, relegated at the end of the 2007-08 Top 14. Auch, which had been promoted to the Top 14 for 2007-08, finished bottom of the table and went down. The other newly promoted team in 2007-08, Dax, finished second-from-bottom, but were reprieved when French sporting authorities forcibly relegated 12th-place Albi to Pro D2 due to financial issues.

As in previous seasons, the top four clubs at the end of the home-and-away season will advance to a single-elimination playoff. The semifinals will be held at neutral sites, with the final at Stade de France. Going into the season, the top six clubs are guaranteed of berths in the 2009-10 Heineken Cup. If a French club advances further in the 2008-09 Heineken Cup than any team from England or Italy, the seventh-place club also earns a berth in the 2009-10 Heineken Cup. The bottom two teams are provisionally relegated to Pro D2, with the possibility of one or both of the bottom teams to be reprieved if a team above them fails a postseason financial audit (mandatory for all clubs in the league).

* Second division: 2008-09 Rugby Pro D2 season

The LNR uses a slightly different bonus points system from that used in most other rugby competitions. It trialled a new system in 2007-08 explicitly designed to prevent a losing team from earning more than one bonus point in a match,cite web|url=http://www.planet-rugby.com/Story/0,18259,3559_2450951,00.html |title=French try out new bonus point system |publisher=Planet-Rugby.com |date=2007-06-27 |accessdate=2007-08-13] a system that also makes it impossible for either team to earn a bonus point in a drawn match. LNR chose to continue with this system for 2008-09.cite web|url=http://www.lnr.fr/omm/upload/3%20-%20Titre%20II%20-%20Reglement%20sportif%202008%20-2009.pdf |title=Article 330, Section 3.2. Points "terrain" |work=Reglements de la Ligue Nationale de Rugby 2008/2009, Chapitre 2 : Règlement sportif du Championnat de France Professionnel |publisher=Ligue Nationale de Rugby |language=French |accessdate=2008-08-27]

France's bonus point system operates as follows:

*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).

Table

:

If clubs are level on competition points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
# Head-to-head competition points earned.
# Points differential in head-to-head matches.
# Difference between tries scored and tries conceded in head-to-head matches.
# Points differential in all matches.
# Difference between tries scored and tries conceded in all matches.
# Number of points scored in all matches.
# Number of tries scored in all matches.
# Final classification in the last Top 14 regular season.
# Fewer red cards issued during the season.

chedule and results

From the official Top 14 site. [cite web|url=http://lnr.fr/omm/upload/Calendrier_TOP14_2008_2009(1).pdf |title=TOP 14 Calendrier – Saison 2008-2009 |publisher=Ligue nationale de rugby |language=French |accessdate=2008-07-27] Within each weekend, matches are ultimately to be listed in the following order:
# By date.
# If matches are held on the same day, by kickoff time.
# Otherwise, in alphabetic order of home club.

All times CET.

Rounds 1 to 5

Round 1
* 26 August, 19:00 — Biarritz 29 - 22 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 26 August, 19:00 — Castres (1 BP) 26 - 27 Bayonne
* 26 August, 19:00 — Dax 9 - 31 (1 BP) Stade Français
* 26 August, 19:00 — Montauban (1 BP) 37 - 19 Mont-de-Marsan
* 26 August, 19:00 — Montpellier 16 - 11 (1 BP) Toulouse
* 26 August, 19:00 — Perpignan 34 - 18 Brive
* 26 August, 21:00 — Toulon 22 - 16 (1 BP) Clermont

Round 2
* 30 August, 14:30 — Bayonne 22 - 20 (1 BP) Montauban
* 30 August, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 43 - 20 Montpellier
* 30 August, 14:30 — Stade Français 27 - 22 Mont-de-Marsan
* 30 August, 14:30 — Toulon 3 - 3 Brive
* 30 August, 14:30 — Toulouse 25 - 20 (1 BP) Dax
* 30 August, 16:45 — Biarritz 32 - 17 Castres
* 30 August, 20:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 16 - 22 Perpignan

Round 3
* 5 September, 20:30 — Bayonne 17 - 6 Clermont
* 6 September, 14:30 — Brive 16 - 16 Castres
* 6 September, 14:30 — Dax (1 BP) 6 - 9 Montpellier
* 6 September, 14:30 — Montauban 18 - 14 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 6 September, 16:30 — Perpignan 11 - 26 Stade Français
* 6 September, 20:30 — Mont-de-Marsan 25 - 18 (1 BP) Toulon
* 7 September, 20:00 — Toulouse (1 BP) 20 - 6 Biarritz (at Stadium Municipal)

Round 4
* 12 September, 20:30 — Toulon (1 BP) 13 - 19 Stade Français
* 13 September, 14:30 — Bourgoin 18 - 6 Mont-de-Marsan
* 13 September, 14:30 — Castres 11 - 19 Dax
* 13 September, 14:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 32 - 10 Montauban
* 13 September, 14:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 38 - 10 Bayonne
* 13 September, 16:30 — Clermont 16 - 6 Toulouse
* 13 September, 20:30 — Biarritz 24 - 5 Brive

Round 5
* 19 September, 20:30 — Dax 30 - 18 Biarritz
* 20 September, 14:30 — Bayonne 19 - 15 (1 BP) Mont-de-Marsan
* 20 September, 14:30 — Castres 12 - 6 (1 BP) Clermont
* 20 September, 14:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 37 - 16 Brive
* 20 September, 14:30 — Toulon 15 - 9 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 20 September, 16:30 — Montauban 10 - 41 (1 BP) Toulouse
* 20 September, 20:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 3 - 5 Perpignan

Rounds 6 to 10

Round 6
* 26 September, 20:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 25 - 32 Stade Français (at Stade des Alpes, Grenoble)
* 27 September, 14:30 — Brive (1 BP) 41 - 9 Dax
* 27 September, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 32 - 6 Biarritz
* 27 September, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan (1 BP) 16 - 22 Montpellier
* 27 September, 14:30 — Montauban 24 - 23 (1 BP) Castres
* 27 September, 16:30 — Toulouse 30 - 20 Perpignan
* 27 September, 20:30 — Bayonne 19 - 15 (1 BP) Toulon Round 7
* 3 October, 20:30 — Castres 10 - 28 Toulouse
* 4 October, 14:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 46 - 3 Montpellier
* 4 October, 14:30 — Brive (1 BP) 53 - 11 Mont-de-Marsan
* 4 October, 14:30 — Perpignan 37 - 12 Toulon
* 4 October, 14:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 34 - 16 Montauban
* 4 October, 16:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 23 - 30 Clermont
* 4 October, 20:30 — Dax 27 - 17 Bayonne

Round 8
* 24-25 October — Bayonne - Brive
* 24-25 October — Clermont - Montauban
* 24-25 October — Mont-de-Marsan - Biarritz
* 24-25 October — Montpellier - Bourgoin
* 24-25 October — Perpignan - Dax
* 24-25 October — Stade Français - Toulouse (at Stade de France)
* 24-25 October — Toulon - Castres

Round 9
* 31 October-1 November — Biarritz - Bayonne
* 31 October-1 November — Castres - Montpellier
* 31 October-1 November — Clermont - Stade Français
* 31 October-1 November — Dax - Bourgoin
* 31 October-1 November — Mont-de-Marsan - Perpignan
* 31 October-1 November — Montauban - Toulon
* 31 October-1 November — Toulouse - Brive

Round 10
* 14-15 November — Bourgoin - Bayonne
* 14-15 November — Brive - Clermont
* 14-15 November — Castres - Mont-de-Marsan
* 14-15 November — Dax - Montauban
* 14-15 November — Montpellier - Stade Français
* 14-15 November — Perpignan - Biarritz
* 14-15 November — Toulouse - Toulon

Rounds 11 to 15

Round 11
* 21-22 November — Bayonne - Montpellier
* 21-22 November — Bourgoin - Toulouse
* 21-22 November — Brive - Montauban
* 21-22 November — Clermont - Perpignan
* 21-22 November — Mont-de-Marsan - Dax
* 21-22 November — Stade Français - Castres
* 21-22 November — Toulon - Biarritz

Round 12
* 28-29 November — Biarritz - Stade Français
* 28-29 November — Castres - Bourgoin
* 28-29 November — Mont-de-Marsan - Clermont
* 28-29 November — Montauban - Perpignan
* 28-29 November — Montpellier - Brive
* 28-29 November — Toulon - Dax
* 28-29 November — Toulouse - Bayonne

Round 13
* 19-20 December — Brive - Bourgoin
* 19-20 December — Dax - Clermont
* 19-20 December — Montauban - Biarritz
* 19-20 December — Montpellier - Toulon
* 19-20 December — Perpignan - Castres
* 19-20 December — Stade Français - Bayonne
* 19-20 December — Toulouse - Mont-de-Marsan

Round 14
* 2-4 January — Bayonne - Castres
* 2-4 January — Bourgoin - Biarritz
* 2-4 January — Brive - Perpignan
* 2-4 January — Clermont - Toulon
* 2-4 January — Mont-de-Marsan - Montauban
* 2-4 January — Stade Français - Dax
* 2-4 January — Toulouse - Montpellier

Round 15
* 9-10 January — Brive - Toulon
* 9-10 January — Castres - Biarritz
* 9-10 January — Dax - Toulouse
* 9-10 January — Mont-de-Marsan - Stade Français
* 9-10 January — Montauban - Bayonne
* 9-10 January — Montpellier - Clermont
* 9-10 January — Perpignan - Bourgoin

Rounds 16 to 20

Round 16
* 30-31 January — Biarritz - Toulouse
* 30-31 January — Bourgoin - Montauban
* 30-31 January — Castres - Brive
* 30-31 January — Clermont - Bayonne
* 30-31 January — Montpellier - Dax
* 30-31 January — Stade Français - Perpignan (at Stade de France)
* 30-31 January — Toulon - Mont-de-Marsan

Round 17
* 20-21 February — Bayonne - Perpignan
* 20-21 February — Brive - Biarritz
* 20-21 February — Dax - Castres
* 20-21 February — Mont-de-Marsan - Bourgoin
* 20-21 February — Montauban - Montpellier
* 20-21 February — Stade Français - Toulon
* 20-21 February — Toulouse - Clermont

Round 18
* 27-28 February — Biarritz - Dax
* 27-28 February — Bourgoin - Toulon
* 27-28 February — Brive - Stade Français
* 27-28 February — Clermont - Castres
* 27-28 February — Mont-de-Marsan - Bayonne
* 27-28 February — Perpignan - Montpellier
* 27-28 February — Toulouse - Montauban

Round 19
* 6-7 March — Biarritz - Clermont
* 6-7 March — Castres - Montauban
* 6-7 March — Dax - Brive
* 6-7 March — Montpellier - Mont-de-Marsan
* 6-7 March — Perpignan - Toulouse
* 6-7 March — Stade Français - Bourgoin
* 6-7 March — Toulon - Bayonne

Round 20
* 13-14 or 17-18 March — Bayonne - Dax
* 13-14 or 17-18 March — Clermont - Bourgoin
* 13-14 or 17-18 March — Mont-de-Marsan - Brive
* 13-14 or 17-18 March — Montauban - Stade Français
* 13-14 or 17-18 March — Montpellier - Biarritz
* 13-14 or 17-18 March — Toulon - Perpignan
* 13-14 or 17-18 March — Toulouse - Castres

Rounds 21 to 26

Round 21
* 27-29 March — Biarritz - Mont-de-Marsan
* 27-29 March — Bourgoin - Montpellier
* 27-29 March — Brive - Bayonne
* 27-29 March — Castres - Toulon
* 27-29 March — Dax - Perpignan
* 27-29 March — Montauban - Clermont
* 27-29 March — Toulouse - Stade Français

Round 22
* 3-4 April — Bayonne - Biarritz
* 3-4 April — Bourgoin - Dax
* 3-4 April — Brive - Toulouse
* 3-4 April — Montpellier - Castres
* 3-4 April — Perpignan - Mont-de-Marsan
* 3-4 April — Stade Français - Clermont (at Stade de France)
* 3-4 April — Toulon - Montauban

Round 23
* 17-18 April — Bayonne - Bourgoin
* 17-18 April — Biarritz - Perpignan
* 17-18 April — Clermont - Brive
* 17-18 April — Mont-de-Marsan - Castres
* 17-18 April — Montauban - Dax
* 17-18 April — Stade Français - Montpellier
* 17-18 April — Toulon - Toulouse

Round 24
* 24-25 April — Biarritz - Toulon
* 24-25 April — Castres - Stade Français
* 24-25 April — Dax - Mont-de-Marsan
* 24-25 April — Montauban - Brive
* 24-25 April — Montpellier - Bayonne
* 24-25 April — Perpignan - Clermont
* 24-25 April — Toulouse - Bourgoin

Round 25
* 8-10 May — Bayonne - Toulouse
* 8-10 May — Bourgoin - Castres
* 8-10 May — Brive - Montpellier
* 8-10 May — Clermont - Mont-de-Marsan
* 8-10 May — Dax - Toulon
* 8-10 May — Perpignan - Montauban
* 8-10 May — Stade Français - Biarritz

Round 26
* 15 or 16 May — Bayonne - Stade Français
* 15 or 16 May — Biarritz - Montauban
* 15 or 16 May — Bourgoin - Brive
* 15 or 16 May — Castres - Perpignan
* 15 or 16 May — Clermont - Dax
* 15 or 16 May — Mont-de-Marsan - Toulouse
* 15 or 16 May — Toulon - Montpellier

Notes and references

* " [http://www.lnr.fr/ Ligue Nationale de Rugby] ". "lnr.fr". Accessed July 27, 2008.

ee also

* 2008-09 Heineken Cup
* 2008-09 Rugby Pro D2 season

External links

* [http://www.lnr.fr/ Ligue Nationale de Rugby] - Official website
* [http://www.planet-rugby.com/Tournaments/Top_14/index.shtml Top 14] on Planetrugby.com