Pro D2

Pro D2 is the second tier of rugby union club competition division in France. It is operated by Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) which also runs the division directly above, the first division Top 14. Rugby Pro D2 was introduced in 2000. It is the world's best supported second tier rugby union league.

Pro D2
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023–24 Rugby Pro D2 season
SportRugby union
Founded2000 (2000)
AdministratorLNR
No. of teams16
Country France
Most recent
champion(s)		Bayonne (2nd title)
Most titlesLyon (3 titles)
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toTop 14
Relegation toNationale
Official websitelnr.fr/rugby-pro-d2

Season structure

There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition. The top club at the end of the season is automatically promoted to the Top 14; through the 2016–17 season, the 2nd through 5th place teams play each other for the second promotion place. The bottom two are automatically relegated to Fédérale 1. The bottom two clubs of the Top 14 and the top two of Fédérale 1 then enter the Rugby Pro D2 for the next season.

There are 30 rounds in the regular season, with each team playing each other team home and away. The two halves of the season are played in the same order, with the away team in the first half of the season at home in the second half. The semi-finals and final take place in May, with the second- and third-place teams hosting the semi-finals and the final taking place at a predetermined site. At present, 16 clubs compete in the competition.

All promotions are contingent on passing a postseason financial audit required for all clubs. Also, if a club above the bottom two places fails the audit, it may be relegated in the place of a club that would otherwise have been relegated. This was especially an issue in the 2015–16 season, when four clubs faced at least the prospect of relegation for financial reasons. During the season, Tarbes were dropped to Fédérale 1 effective with the 2016–17 season, and Biarritz, Bourgoin and Narbonne were also dropped at the end of the season, pending appeals.[1] Ultimately, Biarritz, Bourgoin, and Narbonne all won their appeals and remained in Pro D2.[2][3]

Changes for 2017–18 and beyond

In August 2016, LNR released a strategic plan outlining its vision for French rugby through the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The plan includes significant changes to the top levels of the league system, with Pro D2 seeing especially dramatic changes starting with the 2017–18 season.[4]

  • Starting with 2017–18, Pro D2 will adopt a playoff system identical to that of the Top 14, with the top six teams on the league table qualifying. The top two teams receive byes into the semifinals, where they will face the winners of quarterfinal matches involving the remaining four sides.
  • Only the Pro D2 champions will be assured of promotion to the Top 14. The losing finalist will enter a playoff with the second-from-bottom Top 14 side, with the winner taking up the final Top 14 place.

Current teams

2022–23 season

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD B Pts Qualification
1 Oyonnax (C, P) 30 23 1 6 904 457 +447 17 111 Top 14 promotion play-offs
2 Grenoble 30 19 3 8 672 588 +84 8 87[lower-alpha 1]
3 Mont-de-Marsan 30 19 0 11 764 649 +115 10 86
4 Nevers 30 17 3 10 718 551 +167 11 85
5 Vannes 30 17 1 12 718 633 +85 11 81
6 Agen 30 15 1 14 653 583 +70 15 77
7 Colomiers 30 15 0 15 674 678 −4 10 70
8 Provence 30 13 4 13 652 638 +14 9 69
9 Béziers 30 13 1 16 700 716 −16 11 65
10 Aurillac 30 15 0 15 586 706 −120 5 65
11 Biarritz 30 12 2 16 690 699 −9 8 60
12 Rouen 30 12 2 16 594 767 −173 6 58
13 Montauban 30 12 1 17 678 784 −106 6 54[lower-alpha 1]
14 Soyaux Angoulême 30 11 0 19 569 697 −128 8 52
15 Carcassonne (R) 30 10 1 19 553 677 −124 10 52 Relegation to Nationale
16 Massy (R) 30 7 0 23 499 801 −302 5 33
Source: Pro D2
Rules for classification: When two teams have the same points total, position is determined by head-to-head results before points difference.
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Grenoble were penalised three competition points, and Montauban were penalised two, for financial and administrative issues that made the clubs "non-compliant with the regulatory provisions and decisions of the CCCP".[5][6]

Previous seasons
Season Champion Play-off winner Relegated
2000–01MontaubanN/A[a 1]Nîmes
2001–02Mont-de-MarsanGrenobleRumilly, Tours
2002–03MontpellierBriveAubenas Vals, Marmande
2003–04AuchBayonne[a 2]Bordeaux-Bègles
2004–05ToulonN/A[a 3]Périgueux, Limoges
2005–06MontaubanAlbi[a 4]Tyrosse, Aurillac, Aix
2006–07AuchDaxGaillac, Colomiers
2007–08ToulonMont-de-MarsanBlagnac, Limoges
2008–09Racing MétroAlbiBéziers, Bourg-en-Bresse
2009–10AgenLa RochelleLannemezan
2010–11LyonBordeaux BèglesSaint-Étienne, Colomiers
2011–12GrenobleMont-de-MarsanPérigueux, Bourgoin
2012–13OyonnaxBriveMassy, Aix-en-Provence
2013–14LyonLa RochelleBourg-en-Bresse, Auch
2014–15PauAgenMassy
2015–16LyonBayonneProvence, Tarbes
2016–17OyonnaxAgenBourgoin, Albi
2017–18PerpignanGrenoble[a 5]Narbonne, Dax
2018–19BayonneBriveMassy, Bourg-en-Bresse
2019–20Cancelled[a 6]
2020–21PerpignanBiarritzSoyaux Angoulême, Valence Romans
2021–22BayonneMont-de-MarsanNarbonne, Bourg-en-Bresse

Number of league titles

Notes
  1. Only one promotion as the top division reduced from 21 to 16 teams.
  2. Lost the play-off final to Auch.
  3. Only one promotion as the Top16 became Top14.
  4. Runner up.
  5. Both promotion places will be determined by play-offs from 2017–18 forward, with the winner of the Pro D2 play-offs earning promotion and the runner-up playing the second-from-bottom Top 14 team for the next season's final Top 14 place.
  6. League suspended after 23 rounds and ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in France.[7]

References
  1. Mortimer, Gavin (1 June 2016). "Financial penalties in the ProD2 send shockwaves around French rugby". Rugby World. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  2. "Biarritz et Narbonne Maintenus en PRO D2" [Biarritz and Narbonne Remain in Pro D2] (Press release) (in French). Ligue Nationale de Rugby. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  3. "Bourgoin Reste en PRO D2" [Bourgoin Remains in Pro D2] (Press release) (in French). Ligue Nationale de Rugby. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  4. Mortimer, Gavin (18 August 2016). "French rugby enjoys a popularity boom as it looks to the future". Rugby World. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  5. "Le FCG sanctionné de trois points de retrait au classement par la Ligue !". Le Dauphiné libéré (in French). 21 November 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2023. Un retrait de cinq points dont deux points avec sursis au classement du championnat professionnel de Pro D2 de la saison en cours [...] Cette sanction a été prononcée au motif du « non-respect des dispositions réglementaires et décisions de la CCCP ».
  6. "Pro D2 : l'US Montauban sanctionnée de cinq points de retrait pour la prochaine saison !" [Pro D2: US Montauban sanctioned with five withdrawal points for the next season!]. La Dépêche (in French). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  7. "Top 14 - Pro D2 : les présidents d'accord pour ne pas attribuer de titre". L'Equipe. 6 May 2020.

See also
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