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.
| 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 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Brock James (Clermont)301 points |
| Top try scorer |  Napolioni Nalaga (Clermont)18 tries |
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]
- Second division: 2007–08 Rugby Pro D2 season
Teams
Number of teams by regions
| Teams | Region or country | Team(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Occitanie | Albi, Auch, Castres, Montauban, Montpellier, Perpignan and Toulouse |
| 4 |  Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bayonne, Biarritz, Brive and Dax |
| 2 |  Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | Bourgoin and Clermont |
| 1 |  Île-de-France | Stade Français |
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | B | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clermont (F) | 26 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 773 | 380 | +393 | 16 | 96 | Advance to playoffs Qualified for the 2008–09 Heineken Cup |
| 2 | Toulouse (C) | 26 | 19 | 0 | 7 | 723 | 394 | +329 | 15 | 91 | |
| 3 | Stade Français (SF) | 26 | 18 | 0 | 8 | 617 | 417 | +200 | 8 | 80 | |
| 4 | Perpignan (SF) | 26 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 531 | 392 | +139 | 7 | 79 | |
| 5 | Castres | 26 | 15 | 0 | 11 | 564 | 524 | +40 | 9 | 69 | Qualified for the 2008–09 Heineken Cup |
| 6 | Biarritz | 26 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 385 | 339 | +46 | 12 | 66 | |
| 7 | Montauban[lower-alpha 1] | 26 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 420 | 446 | −26 | 11 | 63 | |
| 8 | Montpellier | 26 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 426 | 490 | −64 | 5 | 61 | |
| 9 | Bayonne | 26 | 11 | 1 | 14 | 457 | 535 | −78 | 8 | 54 | |
| 10 | Bourgoin | 26 | 10 | 2 | 14 | 453 | 526 | −73 | 8 | 52 | |
| 11 | Brive | 26 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 425 | 514 | −89 | 11 | 51 | |
| 12 | Albi[lower-alpha 2] (R) | 26 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 415 | 549 | −134 | 10 | 48 | Relegated to the 2008–09 Rugby Pro D2 |
| 13 | Dax | 26 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 314 | 645 | −331 | 8 | 34 | |
| 14 | Auch (R) | 26 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 336 | 688 | −352 | 7 | 19 | Relegated to the 2008–09 Rugby Pro D2 |
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- 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
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
| 26 April 2008 |
| Castres | P–P | Toulouse |
- 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
Round 19 (rescheduled game)
- Rescheduled from 26 April 2008.
Round 21
Round 22
Round 23
| 24 May 2008 |
| (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
Round 23 (rescheduled game)
- Rescheduled from 24 May 2008.
Round 25
Round 26
Knock-out stages
Semi-finals
| 21 June 2008 17:00 |
| Clermont | 21 – 7 | Perpignan |
| Tries: Nalaga (2) 23' c, 47' m Con: James (1/2) Pen: James (2/3) 21', 40' Drop: James (1/1) 10' | Report | Try: N. Laharrague 63' c Con: Montgomery (1/1) |
| Stade Vélodrome, Marseille Attendance: 55,042[26] |
| 22 June 2008 15:15 |
| Toulouse | 31 – 13 | Stade Français |
| Tries: Médard 44' c Jauzion (2) 56' c, 60' m Con: Élissalde (1/1) Kunavore (1/2) Pen: Élissalde (2/2) 20', 22' Kunavore (1/1) 48' Drop: Fritz (1/1) 77' | Report | Try: Fillol 73' c Con: Hernández (1/1) Pen: Hernández (2/2) 24', 52' |
| Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux Attendance: 33,147[26] |
Final
| 28 June 2008 21:00 |
| Clermont | 20 – 26 | Toulouse |
| Tries: Rougerie 20' c Zirakashvili 80' c Con: James (2/2) Pen: James (2/2) 13', 69' | Tries: Servat 17' c Médard 60' c Con: Élissalde (2/2) Pen: Élissalde (2/3) 33', 56' Kunavore (1/1) 74' Courrent (1/1) 79' |
| Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 79,275[26] Referee: Eric Darrière |
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
Leading scorers
- Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers
|
Top try scorers
|
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% |
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
- "Top 14 . Les clubs". Ligue Nationale de Rugby. Archived from the original on 2006-08-25. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
- "French try out new bonus point system". Planet-Rugby.com. 2007-06-27. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
- European Rugby Cup. "Albi Could Miss Out on Europe Following Appeal Decision". Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE MAURICE BOYAU". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE DE FRANCE". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS PARC DES SPORTS AGUILERA". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE PIERRE RAJON". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS PARC DES SPORTS". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE PIERRE ANTOINE". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE YVES DU MANOIR". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADIUM". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE MUNCIPAL". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE DU MOULIAS". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE MARCEL MICHELIN". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE SAPIAC". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE JEAN DAUGER". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS JEAN BOUIN". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE AIME GIRAL". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE ERNEST WALLON". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
- "18ème match". Musée du stade toulousain. 19 April 2008.
- "Top 14. Montauban, coupeur de têtes". La Dépêche. 10 May 2008.
- "BRIVE - STADE FRANCAIS 11-3 (5-0)". La Fiche. 17 May 2008.
- "Affluences – Top 14". Sur la touche. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- "22ème match". Musée du stade toulousain. 17 May 2008.
- "Stade Toulusain Bayonne 35-28". Mouton Fou Le Grand. 16 June 2008.
- "CLASSEMENT DU TOP 14 ET DE PRO D2 DE RUGBY 2008 (PLAY OFF)". Rugby Stats. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- "Top 14 : 2007/2008 - Statistiques - Rugby". It's Rugby. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- Ligue Nationale de Rugby. "Affluence totale par club: TOP 14 - 26 premières journées - Saison 2006-2007" (in French). Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
- Ligue Nationale de Rugby. "Affluence totale par club: TOP 14 - 26 premières journées - Saison 2005-2006" (in French). Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
- Ligue Nationale de Rugby. "Affluence totale par club: TOP 16 - 30 premières journées - Saison 2004-2005" (in French). Archived from the original on 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
- Agence France-Presse (2008-06-27). "Top 14 the 'cash cow' of the French". RugbyRugby.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- Ligue Nationale de Rugby. "TOP 14: Les affluences club/club, journée/journée" (in French). Archived from the original on 2008-03-29. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- (in French) "Ligue Nationale de Rugby". lnr.fr. Accessed August 13, 2007.
External links
- (in French) Ligue Nationale de Rugby - Official website
- Top 14 on Planetrugby.com