Professional Rugby Union

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The Top 14 is a professional rugby union club championship held in France. The Top 14 is the highest level in the French National Rugby League's national league system, which was founded in 1892 and is abbreviated as LNR. Between the Top 14 and the next level below, the Rugby Pro D2, there is promotion and relegation. The league features France's top fourteen rugby teams, hence the name Top 14. Previously, the tournament was known as the Top 16.

The league (along with the English Premiership and the United Rugby Championship, which brings together top clubs from Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Italy, and South Africa) is one of Europe's three major professional leagues, from which the most successful European teams advance to compete in the European Rugby Champions Cup, a pan-European championship that replaced the Heineken Cup after the 2013–14 season.

In 1892, the first ever final was held between two Paris-based teams, Stade Français and Racing Club de France, who were the only teams competing that year, with the latter emerging as the initial champions. The competition has been held on an annual basis since then, with the exception of 1915–1919 (due to World War I) and 1940–42 (due to World War II). Each year, the winner team is rewarded with the Bouclier de Brennus, a prestigious trophy granted since 1892. With 21 titles, Toulouse is the most successful club in the competition.

The early years

The first competition was a one-off Championship match between the Racing Club de France and the Stade Français in 1892. The Racing Club won the first ever title by defeating Stade Français by four points to three, though the stadistes recovered their revenge the following year in a rematch of the final. Pierre de Coubertin was the match official for that inaugural final. After that, Stade Français would go on to win a number of championships. After a round-robin, the 1897 and 1898 series were awarded based on a points system. Despite the fact that the tournament was designated the French Championship, it was only open to Parisian clubs. The 1899 season was the first to involve clubs from outside of Paris. The final was held outside of Paris as well.

During the wars

For a period of years, operations were halted due to WWI. In its substitute, the Coupe de l'Espérance, a competition involving largely young boys who had not been drafted, was conducted. Although the competition was contested four times, it was not deemed a full championship. For the 1920 season, the regular competition was reinstated, and Stadoceste Tarbais were the first postwar champions, defeating Racing Club de France in the final. Stade Toulousain began its now-famous rugby history in the 1920s, winning five championships (Stade's first feat occurred in 1912, when the club was proclaimed champions without losing a single game throughout the season, earning the moniker "la Vierge Rouge" — the Red Virgin).

Postwar

After WWII, the Championship final was moved to Parc des Princes in Paris, where it remained for the next four seasons. Several teams won the competition during the 1940s, with Castres coming out on top in 1949 and again in 1950. During the 1950s, FC Lourdes would become a dominant force, winning five championships and another in 1960.

SU During the 1960s, Agen would win three championships. Lourdes won the 1968 season as well, but the final was postponed three weeks owing to events in May 1968. The score was 6–6 at the end of regulation time, and 9–9 after extra time. Lourdes was crowned champion after scoring two goals.

Into the professional era

The Racing Club de France overcame Agen in extra time in the first match of the 1990s, capturing their first championship since 1959. The following finals would be won by Bègles, Toulon, Castres, and Toulouse. Following the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, rugby union became a professional sport in the 1990s. The European Heineken Cup was born as a result of this. Toulouse won four championships in a row, including the 1994 title. The final was transferred to Stade de France, the newly constructed national stadium, for the 1998 season. Stade Français won their first Championship since 1908 in front of a crowd of 78,000 in the final.

Popularity is increasing

Throughout the 2011–12 season, the Top 14 logo was utilised.

In 2005–06, the competition saw a huge increase in popularity, with an average attendance of 9,600 people, up 25% from 2004–05, and multiple sellouts. Stade Français drew a crowd of 79,502 for their home match versus Toulouse at Stade de France on October 15, 2005, breaking the previous French attendance record for a regular-season league match in any sport (including football) by almost 20,000. Stade Français drew 79,604 to a repeat of the 2004–05 final versus Biarritz at Stade de France on March 4, 2006, breaking the previous record. It was broken a fourth time on October 14, 2006, with 79,619 when the same two opponents met, and a fifth time on October 27, 2006, with 79,619 when the same two opponents met.

There are changes afoot.

LNR published a strategy plan in August 2016 stating its goal for French rugby to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Significant adjustments to the league system's top tiers are included in the proposal, however the modifications were more substantial for Pro D2 than for the Top 14. The following changes have an impact on the Top 14:[5]

Starting in the 2017–18 season, the worst team in the league table will be the only one to be immediately relegated from the Top 14. The champion of the Pro D2 division will take its position.

From 2017–18, the Top 14's second-to-last team will face the Pro D2 runner-up in a playoff, with the victor getting the final Top 14 spot.

The Top 14 were announced on March 13, 2017.

Controversy

Castres won the French Rugby Union Championship in 1993, defeating Grenoble 14-11 in a match determined by an unusual try awarded by the referee.

Grenoble was denied a touchdown by Olivier Brouzet, and the crucial try by Gary Whetton was granted by the referee, Daniel Salles, when it was actually Grenoble defender Franck Hueber who touched down the ball first in his try zone. Castres was given the championship as a result of this blunder.

After 13 years, Daniel Salles admitted his mistake.

The Federation's quarrel with Jacques Fouroux screams conspiracy.