Ligue Nationale de Rugby
Encyclopedia : L : LI : LIG : Ligue Nationale de Rugby
The Ligue Nationale de Rugby (English: National Rugby League) is the name of the national professional rugby union league of France. It is divided into two divisions:
- TOP 14 (TOP 16 before 2005-06)
- Rugby Pro D2
Traditionally in the first phase of the then-TOP 16, the teams were divided into two pools of eight. This was followed by a second phase, in which the eight highest-ranked teams played for semi-final spots and the bottom eight teams battled against relegation. The championship final, in which the Bouclier de Brennus was at stake, took place at the Parc des Princes and more recently Stade de France. Development players are given a chance in the Coupe de la Ligue, with its fixtures planned when the top players are with the national team.
In 2004-05, the top division consisted of a single pool of 16 teams, with the top four teams advancing to a knockout playoff at the end of the season to determine the champion. From 2005-06, the top division will be run with a single pool of 14 teams, again with a season-ending four-team playoff. The championship match continues to be held at Stade de France, and regularly sells out the 80,000-seat venue.
The competition has seen an enormous rise in popularity in 2005-06, with attendance up by 25% from 2004-05, and numerous sellouts. On 15 October 2005, Stade Français drew a crowd of 79,502 at Stade de France for their home match against Toulouse; this broke the previous French attendance record for a regular-season league match in any sport (including football) by over 20,000. That record was broken on 4 March 2006, when Stade Français drew 79,604 to a rematch of the 2004-05 final against Biarritz at Stade de France.
TOP 14 (first division)
- Agen
- Albi
- Bayonne
- Biarritz Olympique
- Bourgoin
- Brive
- Castres Olympique
- Clermont Auvergne (previously known as Montferrand)
- Montauban
- Montpellier
- Narbonne
- Perpignan
- Stade Français
- Toulouse
Rugby Pro D2 (second division)
- Auch
- Béziers
- Colomiers
- Dax
- Gaillac
- Grenoble
- La Rochelle
- Limoges
- Lyon
- Métro-Racing
- Mont de Marsan
- Oyonnax
- Pau
- Stade Bordelais
- Tarbes
- Toulon
Past winners
|
2006 Biarritz 2005 Biarritz 2004 Stade Français 2003 Stade Français 2002 Biarritz 2001 Toulouse 2000 Stade Français 1999 Toulouse 1998 Stade Français 1997 Toulouse 1996 Toulouse 1995 Toulouse 1994 Toulouse 1993 Castres 1992 Toulon 1991 Bègles 1990 Racing C.F. 1989 Toulouse 1988 Agen 1987 Toulon 1986 Toulouse 1985 Toulouse 1984 Béziers 1983 Béziers 1982 Agen 1981 Béziers |
1980 Béziers 1979 Narbonne 1978 Béziers 1977 Béziers 1976 Agen 1975 Béziers 1974 Béziers 1973 Tarbes 1972 Béziers 1971 Béziers 1970 La Voulte 1969 Bègles 1968 Lourdes 1967 Montauban 1966 Agen 1965 Agen 1964 Pau 1963 Mont de Marsan 1962 Agen 1961 Béziers 1960 Lourdes 1959 Racing CF 1958 Lourdes 1957 Lourdes 1956 Lourdes 1955 Perpignan 1954 Grenoble |
1953 Lourdes 1952 Lourdes 1951 Carmaux 1950 Castres 1949 Castres 1948 Lourdes 1947 Toulouse 1946 Pau 1945 Agen 1944 Perpignan 1943 Bayonne 1939 Biarritz 1938 Perpignan 1937 Vienne 1936 Narbonne 1935 Biarritz 1934 Bayonne 1933 Lyon OU 1932 Lyon OU 1931 Toulon 1930 Agen 1929 Quillan 1928 Pau 1927 Toulouse 1926 Toulouse 1925 Perpignan 1924 Toulouse |
1923 Toulouse
1922 Toulouse 1921 Perpignan US 1920 Tarbes 1914 Perpignan AS 1913 Bayonne 1912 Toulouse 1911 SBUC 1910 Lyon FC 1909 SBUC 1908 Stade Français 1907 SBUC 1906 SBUC 1905 SBUC 1904 SBUC 1903 Stade Français 1902 Racing CF 1901 Stade Français 1900 Racing CF 1899 SBUC 1898 Stade Français 1897 Stade Français 1896 Olympique 1895 Stade Français 1894 Stade Français 1893 Stade Français 1892 Racing CF |
Between 1915 and 1919, due to World War I the "Coupe de l'Espérance" was played instead.
Total wins
| Stade Toulousain | 16 |
| Stade Français | 12 |
| AS Béziers | 11 |
| SU Agen | 8 |
| FC Lourdes | 8 |
| Stade Bordelais UC | 7 |
| USA Perpignan | 6 |
| Racing Club de France | 5 |
| Biarritz Olympique | 4 |
| RC Toulon | 3 |
| Aviron Bayonnais | 3 |
| Castres Olympique | 3 |
| Section Paloise | 3 |
See also
External links
| Rugby union in France | [http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit ] | |
|
Federation Fédération Française de Rugby | ||
|
Competitions Top 14 | Pro D2 | Fédérale 1 | European Challenge Cup | European Shield | Heineken Cup | Rugby World Cup | Six Nations Championship | ||
|
National team French national team | ||
|
TOP 14 (first division) Agen | Albi | Bayonne | Biarritz Olympique | Bourgoin | Brive | Castres Olympique | Clermont Auvergne | Montauban | Montpellier | Narbonne | Perpignan | Stade Français | Toulouse | ||
|
Rugby Pro D2 (second division) Auch | Béziers | Colomiers | Dax | Gaillac | Grenoble | La Rochelle | Limoges | Lyon | Métro-Racing | Mont de Marsan | Oyonnax | Pau | Stade Bordelais | Tarbes | Toulon | ||
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