2007-08 Top 14 season

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.cite web | title=Top 14 . Les clubs | publisher=Ligue Nationale de Rugby | url=http://lnr.fr/Menus.asp?CR=16354&CSR=75697&CSSR=75698&Cle=76232 | accessdate=2007-08-13] 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, giving a reprieve to second-from bottom Dax pending an Albi appeal.

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: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]

*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.

* Second division: 2007-08 Rugby Pro D2 season

Popularity

The league has seen a major increase in attendance in recent years. In 2006-07, per-game attendance averaged 10,549,cite web|url=http://lnr.fr/Client/asp/championnat/statsdyn/StatsStadetop14.asp?CleCompet=81150 |title=Affluence totale par club: TOP 14 - 26 premières journées - Saison 2006-2007 |language=French |author=Ligue Nationale de Rugby |accessdate=2007-08-17] up from 9,288 in 2005-06cite web|url=http://lnr.fr/Client/asp/championnat/statsdyn/StatsStadetop14.asp?CleCompet=69748 |title=Affluence totale par club: TOP 14 - 26 premières journées - Saison 2005-2006 |language=French |author=Ligue Nationale de Rugby |accessdate=2007-08-17] and 7,255 in 2004-05,cite web|url=http://lnr.fr/Client/asp/championnat/statsdyn/StatsStadetop14.asp?CleCompet=56992 |title=Affluence totale par club: TOP 16 - 30 premières journées - Saison 2004-2005 |language=French |author=Ligue Nationale de Rugby |accessdate=2007-08-17] 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 and 9,267 in 2006-07, both well above the 2004-05 figures.

The final average attendance for the 2007-08 regular season was 10,966, another increase from the previous season. The LNR also reported that league-wide season ticket sales were up by 11% from 2006-07.cite news|url=http://www.rugbyrugby.com/news/story_27608182837.php |title=Top 14 the 'cash cow' of the French |author=Agence France-Presse |publisher="RugbyRugby.com" |date=2008-06-27 |accessdate=2008-06-28] 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 home opener in Round 2 against Montpellier, which drew 34,791 at Stadium Municipal.cite web|url=http://www.lnr.fr/Client/Menus.asp?CR=16354&CSR=16373&CSSR=16423&Cle=99671 |title=TOP 14: Les affluences club/club, journée/journée |language=French |author=Ligue Nationale de Rugby |accessdate=2008-06-28]

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.

Albi's relegation

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.cite web|url=http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/174_10453.php |title=Albi Could Miss Out on Europe Following Appeal Decision |language=English |author=European Rugby Cup |accessdate=2008-06-11]

chedule and results

From the [http://lnr.fr/Menus.asp?CR=16354&CSR=16378 official Top 14 site] . Within each weekend, matches are 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 October, 20:30 — Dax (1 BP) 10 - 15 Toulouse
* 27 October, 15:00 — Stade Français 23 - 17 (1 BP) Clermont (at Stade de France)
* 27 October, 17:30 — Biarritz 15 - 15 Albi
* 27 October, 17:30 — Bourgoin 10 - 8 (1 BP) Montauban
* 27 October, 17:30 — Brive (1 BP) 21 - 22 Bayonne
* 27 October, 17:30 — Castres 25 - 12 Auch
* 27 October, 20:30 — Montpellier 19 - 12 (1 BP) Perpignan

Round 2
* 2 November, 19:30 — Brive (1 BP) 7 - 12 Biarritz
* 3 November, 15:00 — Toulouse (1 BP) 28 - 9 Stade Français
* 3 November, 17:30 — Albi 21 - 16 (1 BP) Perpignan
* 3 November, 17:30 — Auch (1 BP) 13 - 14 Bourgoin
* 3 November, 17:30 — Clermont 33 - 20 Montpellier
* 3 November, 17:30 — Montauban 15 - 12 (1 BP) Castres
* 3 November, 20:30 — Bayonne (1 BP) 27 - 0 Dax

Round 3
* 23 November, 20:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 46 - 6 Bayonne
* 24 November, 15:00 — Biarritz 6 - 18 Toulouse
* 24 November, 17:30 — Dax 16 - 6 Auch
* 24 November, 17:30 — Montauban (1 BP) 43 - 14 Brive
* 24 November, 17:30 — Montpellier 25 - 9 Castres
* 24 November, 17:30 — Perpignan 3 - 3 Bourgoin
* 25 November, 20:30 — Albi (1 BP) 6 - 12 Clermont

Round 4
* 30 November, 20:30 — Stade Français 22 - 19 (1 BP) Dax
* 1 December, 15:00 — Bayonne (1 BP) 10 - 14 Biarritz
* 1 December, 17:30 — Auch 19 – 13 (1 BP) Montauban
* 1 December, 17:30 — Brive (1 BP) 6 – 9 Montpellier
* 1 December, 17:30 — Castres 0 – 16 Perpignan
* 1 December, 17:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 33 – 12 Albi
* 1 December, 20:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 14 – 20 Clermont

Round 5
* 21 December, 19:00 — Auch (1 BP) 11–17 Biarritz
* 21 December, 21:00 — Clermont 21–17 (1 BP) Toulouse
* 22 December, 17:30 — Bayonne (1 BP) 35–8 Perpignan
* 22 December, 17:30 — Castres 32–17 Bourgoin
* 22 December, 17:30 — Dax 19–27 Brive
* 22 December, 17:30 — Montpellier 19–14 (1 BP) Albi
* 22 December, 20:30 — Montauban 24 - 16 Stade Français

Rounds 6 to 10

Round 6
* 4 January, 20:30 — Biarritz 10–8 (1 BP) Montauban
* 5 January, 17:30 — Albi 24–17 (1 BP) Dax
* 5 January, 17:30 — Bourgoin 15–10 (1 BP) Bayonne
* 5 January, 17:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 26–6 Auch
* 5 January, 17:30 — Perpignan 23–19 (1 BP) Brive
* 5 January, 20:30 — Stade Français 33–6 Montpellier
* 6 January, 21:00 — Toulouse (1 BP) 44–23 Castres Round 7
* 25 January, 20:30 — Auch 3–34 (1 BP) Toulouse
* 25 January, 20:30 — Brive (1 BP) 25–6 Albi
* 26 January, 15:05 — Biarritz 21–8 Perpignan
* 26 January, 17:30 — Bourgoin 16–31 Stade Français
* 26 January, 17:30 — Castres 15–14 (1 BP) Clermont
* 26 January, 17:30 — Montauban 12–11 (1 BP) Dax
* 26 January, 17:30 — Montpellier 37–13 Bayonne

Round 8
* 1 February, 20:30 — Perpignan 23–3 Montauban
* 2 February, 17:30 — Bayonne 25–10 Auch
* 2 February, 17:30 — Brive 26–13 Castres
* 2 February, 17:30 — Dax 15–14 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 2 February, 17:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 35–13 Montpellier
* 2 February, 20:30 — Albi (1 BP) 18–23 Stade Français
* 3 February, 21:00 — Clermont 12–9 (1 BP) Biarritz

Round 9
* 8 February, 20:30 — Stade Français 36–7 Brive
* 9 February, 15:00 — Auch (1 BP) 14–19 Albi
* 9 February, 15:00 — Biarritz 13–7 (1 BP) Dax
* 9 February, 15:00 — Bourgoin 23–17 (1 BP) Montpellier
* 9 February, 15:00 — Castres (1 BP) 37–17 Bayonne
* 9 February, 15:00 — Perpignan 18–17 (1 BP) Clermont
* 9 February, 20:30 — Montauban (1 BP) 12–16 Toulouse

Round 10
* 15 February, 20:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 14–18 Biarritz
* 16 February, 15:05 — Toulouse (1 BP) 41–15 Perpignan
* 16 February, 17:30 — Albi 33–8 Bourgoin
* 16 February, 17:30 — Bayonne 25–18 (1 BP) Montauban
* 16 February, 17:30 — Dax 8–17 Castres
* 16 February, 17:30 — Stade Français 15–12 (1 BP) Auch
* 16 February, 20:30 — Brive (1 BP) 9–11 Clermont

Rounds 11 to 15

Round 11
* 22 February, 20:00 — Castres 16–47 (1 BP) Stade Français
* 23 February, 17:30 — Bayonne 31–13 Albi
* 23 February, 17:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 40–13 Montauban
* 23 February, 17:30 — Montpellier 18–13 (1 BP) Dax
* 23 February, 17:30 — Perpignan 28–23 (1 BP) Auch
* 23 February, 17:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 51–3 Brive
* 24 February, 15:00 — Bourgoin 35–15 Biarritz

Round 12
* 29 February, 20:30 — Montauban 14–6 Montpellier
* 1 March, 15:00 — Biarritz 9–6 (1 BP) Stade Français
* 1 March, 17:30 — Albi 6–33 (1 BP) Castres
* 1 March, 17:30 — Auch 20–30 Brive
* 1 March, 17:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 27–3 Bayonne
* 1 March, 17:30 — Perpignan 10–10 Dax
* 1 March, 20:30 — Bourgoin 30–23 (1 BP) Toulouse

Round 13
* 7 March, 20:30 — Castres 26–19 (1 BP) Biarritz
* 8 March, 17:30 — Albi 15–25 (1 BP) Montauban
* 8 March, 17:30 — Brive 29–13 Bourgoin
* 8 March, 17:30 — Dax 22–40 (1 BP) Clermont
* 8 March, 17:30 — Montpellier 29–24 (1 BP) Auch
* 8 March, 18:30 — Bayonne 10–25 Toulouse
* 8 March, 21:00 — Stade Français 12–23 Perpignan

Round 14
* 14 March, 20:30 — Albi 13–8 (1 BP) Biarritz
* 15 March, 15:00 — Auch 15–36 (1 BP) Castres
* 15 March, 15:00 — Bayonne 20–18 (1 BP) Brive
* 15 March, 15:00 — Montauban 16–11 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 15 March, 15:00 — Toulouse (1 BP) 58–5 Dax
* 15 March, 20:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 27–6 Montpellier
* 16 March, 15:00 — Clermont (1 BP) 50–12 Stade Français

Round 15
* 21 March, 20:30 — Biarritz 10–0 Brive
* 22 March, 17:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 36–0 Auch
* 22 March, 17:30 — Castres 21–7 Montauban
* 22 March, 17:30 — Dax 11–6 (1 BP) Bayonne
* 22 March, 17:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 45–7 Albi
* 22 March, 18:30 — Montpellier 17–56 (1 BP) Clermont
* 22 March, 21:00 — Stade Français (1 BP) 29–0 Toulouse (at Stade de France)

Rounds 16 to 20

Round 16
* 28 March, 20:30 — Toulouse 12–6 (1 BP) Biarritz
* 29 March, 15:05 — Bayonne 14–36 (1 BP) Stade Français
* 29 March, 17:30 — Auch 16–10 (1 BP) Dax
* 29 March, 17:30 — Brive 14–7 (1 BP) Montauban
* 29 March, 17:30 — Castres (1 BP) 12–17 Montpellier
* 29 March, 17:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 52–17 Albi
* 29 March, 20:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 9–10 Perpignan

Round 17
* 11 April, 20:30 — Dax (1 BP) 9–13 Stade Français
* 12 April, 15:00 — Perpignan 20–18 (1 BP) Castres
* 12 April, 17:30 — Albi (1 BP) 13–20 Toulouse
* 12 April, 17:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 20–0 Bayonne
* 12 April, 17:30 — Montauban 30–19 Auch
* 12 April, 17:30 — Montpellier 20–14 (1 BP) Brive
* 12 April, 20:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 36–7 Bourgoin

Round 18
* 18 April, 20:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 12–14 Castres
* 19 April, 15:00 — Toulouse 11–23 Clermont
* 19 April, 17:30 — Albi (1 BP) 25–12 Montpellier
* 19 April, 17:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 26–3 Auch
* 19 April, 17:30 — Brive 30–0 Dax
* 19 April, 17:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 38–13 Bayonne
* 19 April, 20:30 — Stade Français 25–18 (1 BP) Montauban

Round 19
* 25 April, 20:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 9–12 Stade Français
* 26 April, 17:30 — Auch 15–36 (1 BP) Clermont
* 26 April, 17:30 — Bayonne 19–19 Bourgoin
* 26 April, 17:30 — Dax 12–9 (1 BP) Albi
* 26 April, 18:30 — Montauban 19–13 (1 BP) Biarritz
* 26 April, 20:30 — Brive 7–16 Perpignan
* 7 May, 18:30 — Castres 6–16 Toulouse (rescheduled because of Toulouse's appearance in the Heineken Cup semifinals on 26 April)

Round 20
* 2 May, 20:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 28–35 (1 BP) Castres
* 2 May, 20:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 73–12 Auch
* 3 May, 15:05 — Perpignan 16–3 Biarritz
* 3 May, 17:30 — Albi 21–18 (1 BP) Brive
* 3 May, 17:30 — Bayonne 19–16 (1 BP) Montpellier
* 3 May, 17:30 — Dax 20–16 (1 BP) Montauban
* 3 May, 20:30 — Stade Français 34–20 Bourgoin

Rounds 21 to 26

Round 21
* 9 May, 21:00 — Biarritz (1 BP) 11–16 Clermont
* 10 May, 15:00 — Auch (1 BP) 19–23 Bayonne
* 10 May, 15:00 — Stade Français 43–20 Albi
* 10 May, 17:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 50–14 Dax
* 10 May, 18:30 — Montauban 28–22 (1 BP) Perpignan
* 11 May, 17:00 — Castres (1 BP) 41–10 Brive
* 11 May, 19:00 — Montpellier 17–15 (1 BP) Toulouse

Round 22
* 16 May, 20:30 — Brive 11–3 Stade Français
* 17 May, 15:00 — Clermont 29–15 Perpignan
* 17 May, 17:30 — Albi (1 BP) 29–0 Auch
* 17 May, 17:30 — Bayonne 27–16 Castres
* 17 May, 17:30 — Montpellier 12–6 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 17 May, 17:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 28–6 Montauban
* 17 May, 18:35 — Dax 17–12 (1 BP) Biarritz

Round 23
* 23 May, 20:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 38–7 Brive
* 24 May, 15:05 — Biarritz 20–0 Montpellier
* 24 May, 20:30 — Auch 9–6 (1 BP) Stade Français
* 24 May, 20:30 — Bourgoin 18–13 (1 BP) Albi
* 24 May, 20:30 — Castres (1 BP) 38–16 Dax
* 24 May, 20:30 — Montauban 15–12 (1 BP) Bayonne
* 3 June, 21:00 — Perpignan (1 BP) 50–6 Toulouse (rescheduled due to Toulouse's appearance in the Heineken Cup final on 24 May)

Round 24
* 30 May, 19:00 — Auch 13–25 Perpignan
* 30 May, 21:00 — Brive 15–12 (1 BP) Toulouse
* 31 May, 15:05 — Stade Français (1 BP) 44–15 Castres
* 31 May, 17:30 — Albi 13–6 (1 BP) Bayonne
* 31 May, 17:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 30–10 Bourgoin
* 31 May, 17:30 — Dax 16–36 (1 BP) Montpellier
* 31 May, 20:30 — Montauban 18–16 (1 BP) Clermont

Round 25
* 6 June, 20:30 — Montpellier 12–8 (1 BP) Montauban
* 7 June, 15:05 — Stade Français 22–18 Biarritz (1 BP) (at Stade de France)
* 7 June, 17:30 — Bayonne 36–8 Clermont
* 7 June, 17:30 — Brive (1 BP) 40–26 Auch
* 7 June, 17:30 — Castres 20–16 (1 BP) Albi
* 7 June, 17:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 57–17 Bourgoin
* 7 June, 20:30 — Dax 10–21 Perpignan

Round 26
* 14 June, 15:15 — Auch 12–23 Montpellier
* 14 June, 15:15 — Biarritz (1 BP) 30–34 Castres
* 14 June, 15:15 — Bourgoin 22–19 (1 BP) Brive
* 14 June, 15:15 — Clermont (1 BP) 95–7 Dax
* 14 June, 15:15 — Montauban 24–17 (1 BP) Albi
* 14 June, 15:15 — Perpignan 23–19 (1 BP) Stade Français
* 14 June, 15:15 — Toulouse 35–28 (1 BP) Bayonne

emi-finals

rugbybox
date = 2007-06-21
17:00
home = Clermont
score = 21 – 7
report = [http://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/top-14/2007-2008/livefullpage_mtc201685.shtml (Report)]
away = Perpignan
homescore = Tries: Nalaga (2) 23' c, 47' m
Con: James (1/2)
Pen: James (2/3) 21', 40'
Drop: James (1/1) 10'
awayscore = Try: N. Laharrague 63' c
Con: Montgomery (1/1)
stadium = Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
attendance =
referee = ----rugbybox
date = 2007-06-22
15:15
home = Toulouse
score = 31 – 13
report = [http://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/top-14/2007-2008/livefullpage_mtc201686.shtml (Report)]
away = Stade Français
homescore = Tries: Médard 44' c
Jauzion (2) 56' c, 60' m
Con: Elissalde (1/1)
Kunavore (1/2)
Pen: Elissalde (2/2) 20', 22'
Kunavore (1/1) 48'
Drop: Fritz (1/1) 77'
awayscore = Try: Fillol 73' c
Con: Hernández (1/1)
Pen: Hernández (2/2) 24', 52'
stadium = Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
attendance =
referee =

Final

rugbybox
date = 2007-06-28
21:00
home = Clermont
score = 20 – 26
report =
away = Toulouse
homescore = Tries: Rougerie 20' c
Zirakashvili 80' c
Con: James (2/2)
Pen: James (2/2) 13', 69'
awayscore = Tries: Servat 17' c
Médard 60' c
Con: Elissalde (2/2)
Pen: Elissalde (2/3) 33', 56'
Kunavore (1/1) 74'
Courrent (1/1) 79'
stadium = Stade de France, Saint-Denis
attendance =
referee = Eric Darrière flagicon|FRA

Notes and references

* " [http://www.lnr.fr/ Ligue Nationale de Rugby] ". "lnr.fr". Accessed August 13, 2007.

ee also

* 2007-08 Heineken Cup
* 2007-08 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