French rugby union system
Encyclopedia
The major national club competition in France is the Top 14 (formerly, the Top 16). The Top 14 is played on a home and away basis between the top fourteen club sides in France. The second major competition in France is the Rugby Pro D2
competition. A relegation system exists between the two tiers of competition.
Below the professional leagues is the Fédérale 1
, Fédérale 2
, Fédérale 3
and a number of lower leagues.
, the knock-out stages for the Top 14 involve six teams and consist of three rounds. The top two teams on the ladder receive a bye into the semi-finals, while the next four teams on the ladder play in the first round, with the third-and fourth-place teams each hosting a match. The winners of those matches face the top two teams in the semi-finals, which are held at neutral sites, and the semi-final winners advance to the final at Stade de France
.
The qualification criteria for European competition also changed for 2009–10. Normally, the top six teams on the ladder will qualify for the following season's Heineken Cup. The winners of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup will also qualify for the next Heineken Cup. The exact number and identity of qualifying teams will depend on a number of factors, but will always be either six or seven.
All Top 14 teams that do not qualify for the Heineken Cup, including the teams newly promoted from Pro D2, will play in the Challenge Cup.
The top club at the end of the season is automatically promoted to the Top 14; the 2nd through 5th place teams play each other for the second promotion.
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.
8 teams compete on a round-robin
basis (14 games) in each of the 6 groups. The top 4 teams of each group move into the play-offs (Trophée Jean-Prat), the bottom 4 move into play-downs
Second phase
The lowest ranked 24 teams from the preliminary phase play another round-robin competition in 4 groups of 6. Points scored in the preliminary phase are kept. Teams only play teams from other groups. The top 2 teams of each group move on to a sudden death competition (quarter-finals, semi-finals, final), at the end of which an honorary title is awarded. The bottom 3 teams of each group (12 in all) are relegated to Fédérale 2
.
The top 24 teams from the preliminary phase play another round-robin competition in 6 groups of 4. Points scored in the preliminary phase are not kept. Teams only play teams from other groups. The best four top clubs are automatically qualified for the quarter finals. The other two top clubs and the six n°2 clubs have to fight it out in a play-off game to get into the quarter finals. The two finalists are promoted to Pro D2
and play for the championship. In the past, the losing semifinalists played for a third ticket to Pro D2, but no longer do so after the operator of the professional leagues, LNR, reduced the number of promotion places to two.
At the end of each season, two teams are promoted to Pro D2
, and 12 relegated into Fédérale 2.
. Teams can earn promotion to Fédérale 1
.
is the fifth division of rugby union
in France
. The competition involves a very large number of clubs, and winners can progress up into higher division of competition. The competition above Fédérale 3 is Fédérale 2
.
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
competition. A relegation system exists between the two tiers of competition.
Below the professional leagues is the Fédérale 1
Fédérale 1
Le championnat de France de première division fédérale, a.k.a. Fédérale 1, is a French rugby union club competition, the highest level of amateur rugby. The competition has been organised by the Fédération Française de Rugby since 2000, when it replaced the B2 Group...
, Fédérale 2
Fédérale 2
Fédérale 2 is a rugby union club championship division in France. It is the fourth division of rugby above Fédérale 3. Teams can earn promotion to Fédérale 1, and subsequently, the professional leagues such as Rugby Pro D2 and the Top 14.-Results:...
, Fédérale 3
Fédérale 3
Fédérale 3 is the fifth division of rugby union in France. The competition involves 226 clubs in 21 pools of 8, and winners can progress up into higher division of competition. The competition above Fédérale 3 is Fédérale 2 and above that, Fédérale 1...
and a number of lower leagues.
- Top 14
- Rugby Pro D2Rugby Pro D2Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
- Fédérale 1Fédérale 1Le championnat de France de première division fédérale, a.k.a. Fédérale 1, is a French rugby union club competition, the highest level of amateur rugby. The competition has been organised by the Fédération Française de Rugby since 2000, when it replaced the B2 Group...
- Fédérale 2Fédérale 2Fédérale 2 is a rugby union club championship division in France. It is the fourth division of rugby above Fédérale 3. Teams can earn promotion to Fédérale 1, and subsequently, the professional leagues such as Rugby Pro D2 and the Top 14.-Results:...
- Fédérale 3Fédérale 3Fédérale 3 is the fifth division of rugby union in France. The competition involves 226 clubs in 21 pools of 8, and winners can progress up into higher division of competition. The competition above Fédérale 3 is Fédérale 2 and above that, Fédérale 1...
- Lower leagues
Top 14
There exists a promotion and relegation system between the Top 14 and Pro D2. The two lowest placed clubs on the ladder after the regular season are relegated to Pro D2, while two clubs come up from Pro D2, specifically the champion and the winner of a knock-out playoff between the next four teams on the ladder. Starting in 2009–102009–10 Top 14 season
Stade de France was listed as an alternate home for Stade Français because the club hosted five of their 13 home matches this season at the national stadium. Similarly, Stadium Municipal was listed as an alternate home for Toulouse, who normally play two Top 14 matches a year at that facility...
, the knock-out stages for the Top 14 involve six teams and consist of three rounds. The top two teams on the ladder receive a bye into the semi-finals, while the next four teams on the ladder play in the first round, with the third-and fourth-place teams each hosting a match. The winners of those matches face the top two teams in the semi-finals, which are held at neutral sites, and the semi-final winners advance to the final at Stade de France
Stade de France
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...
.
The qualification criteria for European competition also changed for 2009–10. Normally, the top six teams on the ladder will qualify for the following season's Heineken Cup. The winners of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup will also qualify for the next Heineken Cup. The exact number and identity of qualifying teams will depend on a number of factors, but will always be either six or seven.
- Seven teams will qualify if:
- A French team wins either or both of the European competitions. If French teams win both, only five teams will earn Heineken Cup berths by league position, as France is capped at seven Heineken Cup participants.
- Teams from England's Aviva Premiership, also capped at seven Heineken Cup places, win both European competitions, and the team that lies highest in the European Rugby Cllub Rankings among those that have not already qualified for the Heineken Cup is French.
All Top 14 teams that do not qualify for the Heineken Cup, including the teams newly promoted from Pro D2, will play in the Challenge Cup.
Pro D2
Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby, below the first division, Top 14. At present, 16 clubs compete in the competition.The top club at the end of the season is automatically promoted to the Top 14; the 2nd through 5th place teams play each other for the second promotion.
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.
Fédérale 1
Preliminary phase8 teams compete on a round-robin
Round-robin
The term round-robin was originally used to describe a document signed by multiple parties in a circle to make it more difficult to determine the order in which it was signed, thus preventing a ringleader from being identified...
basis (14 games) in each of the 6 groups. The top 4 teams of each group move into the play-offs (Trophée Jean-Prat), the bottom 4 move into play-downs
Second phase
- Play-downs
The lowest ranked 24 teams from the preliminary phase play another round-robin competition in 4 groups of 6. Points scored in the preliminary phase are kept. Teams only play teams from other groups. The top 2 teams of each group move on to a sudden death competition (quarter-finals, semi-finals, final), at the end of which an honorary title is awarded. The bottom 3 teams of each group (12 in all) are relegated to Fédérale 2
Fédérale 2
Fédérale 2 is a rugby union club championship division in France. It is the fourth division of rugby above Fédérale 3. Teams can earn promotion to Fédérale 1, and subsequently, the professional leagues such as Rugby Pro D2 and the Top 14.-Results:...
.
- Play-offs
The top 24 teams from the preliminary phase play another round-robin competition in 6 groups of 4. Points scored in the preliminary phase are not kept. Teams only play teams from other groups. The best four top clubs are automatically qualified for the quarter finals. The other two top clubs and the six n°2 clubs have to fight it out in a play-off game to get into the quarter finals. The two finalists are promoted to Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
and play for the championship. In the past, the losing semifinalists played for a third ticket to Pro D2, but no longer do so after the operator of the professional leagues, LNR, reduced the number of promotion places to two.
At the end of each season, two teams are promoted to Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
, and 12 relegated into Fédérale 2.
Fédérale 2
Fédérale 2 is the fourth division of rugby above Fédérale 3Fédérale 3
Fédérale 3 is the fifth division of rugby union in France. The competition involves 226 clubs in 21 pools of 8, and winners can progress up into higher division of competition. The competition above Fédérale 3 is Fédérale 2 and above that, Fédérale 1...
. Teams can earn promotion to Fédérale 1
Fédérale 1
Le championnat de France de première division fédérale, a.k.a. Fédérale 1, is a French rugby union club competition, the highest level of amateur rugby. The competition has been organised by the Fédération Française de Rugby since 2000, when it replaced the B2 Group...
.
Fédérale 3
Fédérale 3Fédérale 3
Fédérale 3 is the fifth division of rugby union in France. The competition involves 226 clubs in 21 pools of 8, and winners can progress up into higher division of competition. The competition above Fédérale 3 is Fédérale 2 and above that, Fédérale 1...
is the fifth division of rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The competition involves a very large number of clubs, and winners can progress up into higher division of competition. The competition above Fédérale 3 is Fédérale 2
Fédérale 2
Fédérale 2 is a rugby union club championship division in France. It is the fourth division of rugby above Fédérale 3. Teams can earn promotion to Fédérale 1, and subsequently, the professional leagues such as Rugby Pro D2 and the Top 14.-Results:...
.
See also
- Top 14
- Rugby Pro D2Rugby Pro D2Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
- Fédérale 1Fédérale 1Le championnat de France de première division fédérale, a.k.a. Fédérale 1, is a French rugby union club competition, the highest level of amateur rugby. The competition has been organised by the Fédération Française de Rugby since 2000, when it replaced the B2 Group...
- Fédérale 2Fédérale 2Fédérale 2 is a rugby union club championship division in France. It is the fourth division of rugby above Fédérale 3. Teams can earn promotion to Fédérale 1, and subsequently, the professional leagues such as Rugby Pro D2 and the Top 14.-Results:...
- Fédérale 3Fédérale 3Fédérale 3 is the fifth division of rugby union in France. The competition involves 226 clubs in 21 pools of 8, and winners can progress up into higher division of competition. The competition above Fédérale 3 is Fédérale 2 and above that, Fédérale 1...
- Ligue Nationale de Rugby
- Rugby union in FranceRugby union in FranceRugby union is the second most popular team sport in France, after association football, and is the dominant sport in most of the southern half of the country. It was first introduced in the early 1870s by British residents. Elite French clubs participate in the professional domestic club league,...