2008–09 Top 14 season

2008–09 Top 14 season
Countries France
ChampionsPerpignan (7th title)
Runners-upClermont
RelegatedMont-de-Marsan, Dax
Matches played185
Attendance2,362,394
(average 12,770 per match)
Highest attendance79,842
Stade Français v Clermont
4 April 2009
Lowest attendance4,428
Bourgoin v Mont-de-Marsan
13 September 2008
Tries scored610
(average 3.3 per match)
Top point scorerAustralia Brock James (324)
Top try scorerFiji Napolioni Nalaga (21)

The 2008–09 Top 14 Competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). It ran from late August 2008 through the final at Stade de France on June 6, 2009, in which Perpignan lifted the Bouclier de Brennus with a 22–13 win over Clermont.

This year's edition of the Top 14 welcomed Toulon, winners of the 2008 title in the second-level Pro D2, and Mont-de-Marsan, victors in the 2008 promotion playoffs between the second- through fifth-place teams in Pro D2. They took the place of Auch and Albi, relegated at the end of the 2007–08 Top 14. Auch, which had been promoted to the Top 14 for 2007–08, finished bottom of the table and went down. The other newly promoted team in 2007–08, Dax, finished second-from-bottom, but were reprieved when French sporting authorities forcibly relegated 12th-place Albi to Pro D2 due to financial issues.

Teams

[edit]

Competition format

[edit]

Each club plays every other club twice. The second half of the season is conducted in the same order as the first, with the club at home in the first half of the season away in the second. 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 on May 29 and 30, with the final at Stade de France on June 6.

Going into the season, the top six clubs were guaranteed of berths in the 2009–10 Heineken Cup, with the possibility of a seventh if a French club had advanced further in the 2008–09 Heineken Cup than any team from England or Italy. However, the seventh French berth did not materialize this season, as the only Top 14 club to make the knockout stage, Toulouse, were eliminated in the quarterfinals, while England's Leicester Tigers reached the final (where they lost to Irish side Leinster). The sixth-place team would have been relegated to the 2009–10 European Challenge Cup if 11th-place Bourgoin had won the 2008–09 Challenge Cup final on 22 May; however, Bourgoin were defeated by English side Northampton Saints.

The bottom two teams are provisionally relegated to Pro D2, with the possibility of one or both of the bottom teams to be reprieved if a team above them fails a postseason financial audit (mandatory for all clubs in the league).

The LNR uses a slightly different bonus points system from that used in most other rugby competitions. It trialled a new system in 2007-08 explicitly designed to prevent a losing team from earning more than one bonus point in a match,[2] a system that also makes it impossible for either team to earn a bonus point in a drawn match. LNR chose to continue with this system for 2008-09.[3]

France's bonus point system operates as follows:[3]

  • 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).

Season synopsis

[edit]

While the four playoff teams—Perpignan, Toulouse, Clermont, and Stade Français—separated themselves from the pack fairly early in the season, it was Toulouse who were the form team in the first half of the season; they had a Top 14-record streak of 11 wins from Round 5 through Round 15. However, Perpignan surged in the second half of the season, finishing level with Toulouse on the season log; the Catalans claimed the top seed on the first tiebreaker of head-to-head competition points. Biarritz used a late-season surge to claim fifth place, while the final Heineken Cup berth was ultimately decided in the final round, when Brive's draw with Bourgoin combined with Bayonne's win over Stade Français without a bonus point left Brive and Bayonne level on the log; Brive won on the second tiebreaker of head-to-head scoring.

At the other end of the ladder, Mont-de-Marsan were rarely competitive and finished bottom. The second relegation place finally fell on Dax, after Bourgoin, Castres, and the highly ambitious Toulon spent time in relegation trouble.

For much of the season, Bourgoin faced another type of relegation trouble—financial. At the end of each season, all teams in both divisions of LNR must pass a financial audit conducted by DNACG (Direction nationale d'aide et de contrôle de gestion), LNR's financial arm, to be able to keep their professional licenses. The club were able to satisfy DNACG that they had sufficient financial guarantees to participate in Top 14 and were thus allowed to stay in the top flight.[4]

Table

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD B Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Perpignan (C) 26 20 1 5 615 374 +241 10 92[a] Advance to playoffs
Qualified for the 2009–10 Heineken Cup
2 Toulouse (SF) 26 21 0 5 594 324 +270 8 92[a]
3 Clermont (F) 26 16 1 9 754 367 +387 17 83
4 Stade Français (SF) 26 16 1 9 622 430 +192 12 78
5 Biarritz 26 15 0 11 516 398 +118 11 71 Qualified for the 2009–10 Heineken Cup
6 Brive 26 13 4 9 481 481 0 6 66[b]
7 Bayonne 26 14 2 10 475 481 −6 6 66[b]
8 Montauban 26 10 2 14 485 572 −87 9 53
9 Toulon 26 9 2 15 409 488 −79 11 51
10 Montpellier 26 11 0 15 408 568 −160 6 50
11 Bourgoin 26 8 2 16 451 599 −148 10 46
12 Castres 26 7 3 16 473 537 −64 10 44
13 Dax (R) 26 7 1 18 375 634 −259 7 37 Relegated to the 2009–10 Rugby Pro D2
14 Mont-de-Marsan (R) 26 5 1 20 325 730 −405 7 29
Source: [citation needed]
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Perpignan finished first on the ladder, ahead of Toulouse, based on a 5–4 edge in head-to-head competition points; Toulouse scored a regular win against Perpignan in Round 6, while Perpignan picked up a bonus-point win in the return match in Round 19.
  2. ^ a b Brive edged out Bayonne for sixth place, and ultimately the final Heineken Cup berth. In Round 8, Bayonne defeated Brive 14–9 at home. In the return match in Round 21, Brive won 13–6 at home. Since both losing teams picked up bonus points, the tiebreaker went to head-to-head point differential, in which Brive had a two-point edge.

Fixtures & Results

[edit]

Round 1

[edit]
26 August 2008
19:00
Biarritz29 - 22Bourgoin (1 BP)
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 10,133[5]
26 August 2008
19:00
(1 BP) Castres26 - 27Bayonne
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 7,717[6]
26 August 2008
19:00
Dax9 - 31Stade Français (1 BP)
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 9,110[7]
26 August 2008
19:00
(1 BP) Montauban37 - 19Mont-de-Marsan
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 6,844[8]
26 August 2008
19:00
Montpellier16 - 11Toulouse (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 14,248[9]
26 August 2008
19:00
Perpignan34 - 18Brive
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 12,890[10]
26 August 2008
21:00
Toulon22 - 16Clermont (1 BP)
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,835[11]

Round 2

[edit]
30 August 2008
14:30
Bayonne22 - 20Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 11,412[12]
30 August 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Clermont43 - 20Montpellier
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 12,207[13]
30 August 2008
14:30
Stade Français27 - 22Mont-de-Marsan
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 8,777[14]
30 August 2008
14:30
Toulon3 - 3Brive
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,351[11]
30 August 2008
14:30
Toulouse25 - 20Dax (1 BP)
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Attendance: 15,665[15]
30 August 2008
16:45
Biarritz32 - 17Castres
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 7,667[5]
30 August 2008
20:30
(1 BP) Bourgoin16 - 22Perpignan
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 5,283[16]

Round 3

[edit]
5 September 2008
20:30
Bayonne17 - 6Clermont
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 11,841[12]
6 September 2008
14:30
Brive16 - 16Castres
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 7,893[17]
6 September 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Dax6 - 9Montpellier
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 5,057[7]
6 September 2008
14:30
Montauban18 - 14Bourgoin (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 5,068[8]
6 September 2008
16:30
Perpignan11 - 26Stade Français
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 11,671[10]
6 September 2008
20:30
Mont-de-Marsan25 - 18Toulon (1 BP)
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 6,851[18]
7 September 2008
20:00
(1 BP) Toulouse20 - 6Biarritz
Stadium Municipal
Attendance: 24,722[19]

Round 4

[edit]
12 September 2008
20:30
(1 BP) Toulon13 - 19Stade Français
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,916[11]
13 September 2008
14:30
Bourgoin18 - 6Mont-de-Marsan
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 4,428[16]
13 September 2008
14:30
Castres11 - 19Dax
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 6,907[6]
13 September 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Montpellier32 - 10Montauban
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 10,263[9]
13 September 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Perpignan38 - 10Bayonne
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 11,671[10]
13 September 2008
16:30
Clermont16 - 6Toulouse
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 14,701[13]
13 September 2008
20:30
Biarritz24 - 5Brive
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 8,101[5]

Round 5

[edit]
19 September 2008
20:30
Dax30 - 18Biarritz
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 8,004[7]
20 September 2008
14:30
Bayonne19 - 15Mont-de-Marsan (1 BP)
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 12,827[12]
20 September 2008
14:30
Castres12 - 6Clermont (1 BP)
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 7,103[6]
20 September 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Stade Français37 - 16Brive
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 9,250[14]
20 September 2008
14:30
Toulon15 - 9Bourgoin (1 BP)
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,557[11]
20 September 2008
16:30
Montauban10 - 41Toulouse (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 9,049[8]
20 September 2008
20:30
(1 BP) Montpellier3 - 5Perpignan
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 14,182[9]

Round 6

[edit]
26 September 2008
20:30
(1 BP) Bourgoin25 - 32Stade Français
Stade des Alpes, Grenoble
Attendance: 18,014[20]
27 September 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Brive41 - 9Dax
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 7,893[17]
27 September 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Clermont32 - 6Biarritz
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 14,498[13]
27 September 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Mont-de-Marsan16 - 22Montpellier
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 6,237[18]
27 September 2008
14:30
Montauban24 - 23Castres (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 5,844[8]
27 September 2008
16:30
Toulouse30 - 20Perpignan
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Attendance: 18,739[15]
27 September 2008
20:30
Bayonne19 - 15Toulon (1 BP)
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 13,902[12]

Round 7

[edit]
3 October 2008
20:30
Castres10 - 28Toulouse
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 9,451[6]
4 October 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Biarritz46 - 3Montpellier
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 7,000[5]
4 October 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Brive53 - 11Mont-de-Marsan
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 8,208[17]
4 October 2008
14:30
Perpignan37 - 12Toulon
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 13,061[10]
4 October 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Stade Français34 - 16Montauban
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 8,357[14]
4 October 2008
16:30
(1 BP) Bourgoin23 - 30Clermont
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 6,872[16]
4 October 2008
20:30
Dax27 - 17Bayonne
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 10,204[7]

Round 8

[edit]
24 October 2008
20:30
Mont-de-Marsan6 - 33Biarritz (1 BP)
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 7,064[18]
25 October 2008
14:30
Bayonne14 - 9[a 7]Brive (1 BP)
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 11,441[12]
25 October 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Clermont25 - 30Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 12,940[13]
25 October 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Montpellier12 - 19Bourgoin
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 10,007[9]
25 October 2008
14:30
Perpignan17 - 6Dax
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 11,705[10]
25 October 2008
16:30
Stade Français13 - 26Toulouse
Stade de France
Attendance: 78,782[21]
25 October 2008
20:30
(1 BP) Toulon17 - 21Castres
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,144[11]

Round 9

[edit]
31 October 2008
18:30
(1 BP) Montauban42 - 20Toulon
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 6,291[8]
1 November 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Castres28 - 31Montpellier
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 7,279[6]
1 November 2008
14:30
Dax32 - 10Bourgoin
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 6,978[7]
1 November 2008
14:30
Mont-de-Marsan7 - 31Perpignan (1 BP)
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 6,140[18]
1 November 2008
14:30
Toulouse21 - 15Brive (1 BP)
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Attendance: 18,708[15]
1 November 2008
16:30
Clermont22 - 6Stade Français
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 15,724[13]
1 November 2008
20:30
(1 BP) Biarritz12 - 14Bayonne
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 13,104[5]

Round 10

[edit]
14 November 2008
20:30
Montpellier26 - 13Stade Français
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 14,570[9]
15 November 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Bourgoin9 - 13Bayonne
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 5,325[16]
15 November 2008
14:30
Castres26 - 3Mont-de-Marsan
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 6,615[6]
15 November 2008
14:30
Dax20 - 20Montauban
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 5,703[7]
15 November 2008
14:30
Toulouse19 - 18Toulon (1 BP)
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Attendance: 18,701[15]
15 November 2008
16:30
Brive18 - 16Clermont (1 BP)
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 11,708[17]
15 November 2008
20:45
(1 BP) Perpignan27 - 12Biarritz
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 12,942[10]

Round 11

[edit]
21 November 2008
19:00
(1 BP) Bourgoin12 - 18Toulouse
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 7,989[16]
21 November 2008
21:00
Stade Français19 - 12Castres (1 BP)
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 7,443[14]
22 November 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Bayonne42 - 9Montpellier
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 10,938[12]
22 November 2008
14:30
Brive33 - 28Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 7,892[17]
22 November 2008
14:30
Mont-de-Marsan12 - 6Dax (BP)
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 8,832[18]
22 November 2008
14:30
Toulon10 - 5Biarritz (1 BP)
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,357[11]
22 November 2008
16:30
Clermont29 - 9Perpignan
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 14,364[13]

Round 12

[edit]
28 November 2008
20:35
Toulouse32 - 11Bayonne
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Attendance: 18,701[15]
29 November 2008
14:30
Castres9 - 23Bourgoin
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 6,851[6]
29 November 2008
14:30
Mont-de-Marsan12 - 11Clermont (1 BP)
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 5,507[18]
29 November 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Montauban6 - 9Perpignan
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 6,965[8]
29 November 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Toulon6 - 13Dax
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 11,482[11]
29 November 2008
16:30
Biarritz13 - 32Stade Français (1 BP)
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 9,923[5]
29 November 2008
20:45
Montpellier9 - 22Brive
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 9,517[9]

Round 13

[edit]
19 December 2008
20:35
(1 BP) Dax16 - 20Clermont
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 5,983[7]
20 December 2008
14:30
Brive20 - 12Bourgoin
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 8,529[17]
20 December 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Montpellier33 - 8Toulon
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 11,707[9]
20 December 2008
14:30
Perpignan16 - 9Castres (1 BP)
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 13,102[10]
20 December 2008
14:30
(1 BP) Toulouse27 - 6Mont-de-Marsan
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Attendance: 18,654[15]
20 December 2008
16:30
(1 BP) Stade Français35 - 8Bayonne
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 9,395[14]
20 December 2008
20:35
Montauban19 - 12Biarritz (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 6,402[8]

Round 14

[edit]
2 January 2009
20:35
Bayonne13 - 13Castres
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 12,665[12]
3 January 2009
14:30
Bourgoin15 - 14Biarritz (1 BP)
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 6,430[16]
3 January 2009
14:30
Mont-de-Marsan16 - 13Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 5,771[18]
3 January 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Clermont32 - 5Toulon
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 15,102[13]
3 January 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Stade Français56 - 15Dax
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 9,248[14]
3 January 2009
16:30
(1 BP) Toulouse34 - 0Montpellier
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Attendance: 18,725[15]
3 January 2009
20:45
(1 BP) Brive15 - 18Perpignan
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 9,613[17]

Round 15

[edit]
9 January 2009
20:35
Dax9 - 25[a 8]Toulouse
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 8,325[7]
10 January 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Castres9 - 10Biarritz
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 7,753[6]
10 January 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Mont-de-Marsan6 - 13Stade Français
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 7,921[18]
10 January 2009
14:30
Montauban15 - 13Bayonne (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 6,288[8]
10 January 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Perpignan40 - 14Bourgoin
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 11,811[10]
10 January 2009
16:30
Montpellier3 - 30Clermont (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 13,182[9]
10 January 2009
20:35
Brive19 - 9Toulon
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 8,660[17]

Round 16

[edit]
30 January 2009
20:35
(1 BP) Toulon38 - 22Mont-de-Marsan
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,316[11]
31 January 2009
14:30
Biarritz17 - 13[a 9]Toulouse (1 BP)
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 11,018[5]
31 January 2009
14:30
Bourgoin25 - 15Montauban
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 5,441[16]
31 January 2009
14:30
Castres11 - 11Brive
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 9,304[6]
31 January 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Clermont44 - 10Bayonne
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 15,806[13]
31 January 2009
14:30
Montpellier23 - 14Dax
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 9,552[9]
31 January 2009
16:30
Stade Français13 - 13Perpignan
Stade de France
Attendance: 79,122[21]

Round 17

[edit]
20 February 2009
20:35
Stade Français22 - 12Toulon
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 9,167[14]
21 February 2009
14:30
Brive19 - 15Biarritz (1 BP)
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 10,154[17]
21 February 2009
14:30
Dax16 - 32Castres (1 BP)
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 6,738[7]
21 February 2009
14:30
Mont-de-Marsan16 - 16Bourgoin
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 5,734[18]
21 February 2009
14:30
Montauban27 - 19Montpellier
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 5,734[8]
21 February 2009
16:30
Bayonne19 - 12Perpignan (1 BP)
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 15,125[12]
22 February 2009
16:30
Toulouse20 - 13Clermont (1 BP)
Stadium Municipal
Attendance: 34,932[19]

Round 18

[edit]
27 February 2009
19:00
Bourgoin12 - 23Toulon (1 BP)
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 6,672[16]
28 February 2009
14:15
Brive26 - 11Stade Français
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 11,106[17]
28 February 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Biarritz44 - 13Dax
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 8,031[5]
28 February 2009
14:30
Clermont43 - 20Castres
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 13,919[13]
28 February 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Mont-de-Marsan30 - 37Bayonne
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 7,201[18]
28 February 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Perpignan50 - 13Montpellier
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 12,690[10]
28 February 2009
20:35
Toulouse9 - 6Montauban (1 BP)
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Attendance: 18,649[15]

Round 19

[edit]
6 March 2009
21:00
(1 BP) Perpignan32 - 8Toulouse
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 14,578[10]
7 March 2009
14:30
Castres31 - 19Montauban
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 7,668[6]
7 March 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Dax15 - 17Brive
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 5,514[7]
7 March 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Montpellier33 - 6Mont-de-Marsan
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 9,503[9]
7 March 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Stade Français53 - 3Bourgoin
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 8,401[14]
7 March 2009
16:30
Biarritz18 - 14Clermont (1 BP)
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 8,708[5]
7 March 2009
20:35
Toulon3 - 3Bayonne
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,888[11]

Round 20

[edit]
13 March 2009
20:35
Montauban22 - 16Stade Français (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 12,589[8]
14 March 2009
14:15
Toulouse26 - 11Castres
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Attendance: 17,984[15]
14 March 2009
14:30
Bayonne14 - 9Dax (1 BP)
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 12,589[12]
14 March 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Clermont57 - 23Bourgoin
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 13,936[13]
14 March 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Mont-de-Marsan16 - 18Brive
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 8,099[18]
14 March 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Toulon29 - 32Perpignan
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,415[11]
14 March 2009
20:35
Montpellier12 - 9Biarritz (1 BP)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 10,627[9]

Round 21

[edit]
27 March 2009
20:35
Castres25 - 9Toulon
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 8,497[6]
28 March 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Biarritz37 - 7Mont-de-Marsan
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 7,192[5]
28 March 2009
14:30
Bourgoin22 - 3Montpellier
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 5,847[16]
28 March 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Dax13 - 16Perpignan
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 6,333[7]
28 March 2009
14:30
Montauban19 - 19Clermont
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 6,724[8]
28 March 2009
16:30
Brive13 - 6Bayonne (1 BP)
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 10,762[17]
29 March 2009
20:35
Toulouse15 - 11Stade Français (1 BP)
Stadium Municipal
Attendance: 34,993[19]

Round 22

[edit]
3 April 2009
20:35
(1 BP) Bourgoin43 - 6Dax
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 6,418[16]
4 April 2009
14:30
Brive10 - 42Toulouse (1 BP)
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 14,066[17]
4 April 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Montpellier21 - 23Castres
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 10,547[9]
4 April 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Perpignan44 - 3Mont-de-Marsan
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 12,211[10]
4 April 2009
14:30
Toulon33 - 20Montauban
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,491[11]
4 April 2009
16:30
(1 BP) Stade Français19 - 21Clermont
Stade de France
Attendance: 79,842[21]
4 April 2009
20:35
(1 BP) Bayonne15 - 19Biarritz
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 16,930[12]

Round 23

[edit]
17 April 2009
20:35
Biarritz12 - 10Perpignan (1 BP)
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 10,243[5]
18 April 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Bayonne61 - 10Bourgoin
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 11,624[12]
18 April 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Clermont52 - 7Brive
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 15,853[13]
18 April 2009
14:30
Mont-de-Marsan21 - 15Castres (1 BP)
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 5,445[18]
18 April 2009
14:30
Stade Français24 - 15Montpellier
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 8,651[14]
18 April 2009
16:30
Toulon14 - 6Toulouse
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Attendance: 56,953[22]
18 April 2009
20:35
(1 BP) Montauban15 - 20Dax
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 6,614[8]

Round 24

[edit]
24 April 2009
20:35
(1 BP) Castres16 - 21Stade Français
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 8,891[6]
25 April 2009
14:30
Biarritz19 - 12Toulon (1 BP)
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 8,257[5]
25 April 2009
14:30
Montauban15 - 10Brive (1 BP)
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 6,897[8]
25 April 2009
14:30
Montpellier20 - 11Bayonne
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Attendance: 12,497[9]
25 April 2009
14:30
Perpignan20 - 16Clermont (1 BP)
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 14,499[10]
25 April 2009
16:30
Toulouse13 - 6Bourgoin (1 BP)
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Attendance: 18,666[15]
25 April 2009
20:35
Dax12 - 8Mont-de-Marsan (1 BP)
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 9,725[7]

Round 25

[edit]
8 May 2009
20:35
Dax12 - 22Toulon
Stade Maurice Boyau
Attendance: 8,030[7]
9 May 2009
14:30
Bourgoin31 - 23Castres
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 6,402[16]
9 May 2009
14:30
Brive28 - 18Montpellier
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 9,272[17]
9 May 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Clermont66 - 3Mont-de-Marsan
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 15,745[13]
9 May 2009
14:30
(1 BP) Perpignan19 - 9Montauban
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 13,798[10]
9 May 2009
16:30
(1 BP) Bayonne9 - 12Toulouse
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 18,840[12]
10 May 2009
20:45
(1 BP) Stade Français12 - 16Biarritz
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 9,104[14]

Round 26

[edit]
16 May 2009
16:30
Bayonne31 - 27Stade Français (1 BP)
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 15,248[12]
16 May 2009
16:30
(1 BP) Biarritz38 - 10Montauban
Parc des Sports Aguiléra
Attendance: 8,774[5]
16 May 2009
16:30
Bourgoin19 - 19Brive
Stade Pierre Rajon
Attendance: 6,558[16]
16 May 2009
16:30
(1 BP) Castres26 - 32Perpignan
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Attendance: 9,039[6]
16 May 2009
16:30
(1 BP) Clermont75 - 3Dax
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 15,827[13]
16 May 2009
16:30
Mont-de-Marsan8 - 60Toulouse (1 BP)
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 10,468[18]
16 May 2009
16:30
(1 BP) Toulon23 - 3Montpellier
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 12,926[11]

Knock-out stages

[edit]

Semi-finals

[edit]
29 May 2009
20:45 CEST
Toulouse9 – 19Clermont
Pen: Elissalde (3/3) 21', 26', 31'ReportTry: James 12' c
Con: James (1/1)
Pen: James (2/3) 4', 63'
Baby (2/2) 28', 45'
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
Attendance: 32,824
Referee: Christophe Berdos
30 May 2009
16:30 CEST
Perpignan25 – 21Stade Français
Tries: Porical 24' c
Mermoz 48' c
Candelon 62' m
Con: Porical (2/3)
Pen: Porical (2/6) 5', 36'		ReportTries: Beauxis 50' m
Parisse 69' c
Con: Beauxis (1/2)
Pen: Beauxis (2/4) 33', 55'
Drop: Beauxis 12'
Stade de Gerland, Lyon
Attendance: 40,377
Referee: Jérôme Garces

Final

[edit]
6 June 2009
20:45 CEST
Perpignan22 – 13Clermont
Try: Marty 45' c
Con: Porical (1/1)
Pen: Porical (4/4) 40', 49, 61', 64'
Drop: Hume 15'		ReportTry: Nalaga 10' c
Con: James (1/1)
Pen: James (2/3) 19', 55'
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Attendance: 79,205
Referee: Jean-Pierre Matheu
FB 15 France Jérôme Porical
RW 14 France Farid Sid
OC 13 France David Marty downward-facing red arrow 75'
IC 12 France Maxime Mermoz
LW 11 France Julien Candelon downward-facing red arrow 78'
FH 10 South Africa Gavin Hume
SH 9 France Nicolas Durand downward-facing red arrow 75'
N8 8 France Damien Chouly
OF 7 France Jean-Pierre Pérez
BF 6 France Grégory Le Corvec downward-facing red arrow 57'
RL 5 France Olivier Olibeau downward-facing red arrow 65'
LL 4 Argentina Rimas Álvarez Kairelis
TP 3 France Nicolas Mas (c) downward-facing red arrow 78'
HK 2 Romania Marius Țincu downward-facing red arrow 59'
LP 1 England Perry Freshwater downward-facing red arrow 59'
Replacements:
HK 16 France Guilhem Guirado upward-facing green arrow 59'
PR 17 Tonga Kisi Pulu upward-facing green arrow 59'
LK 18 France Guillaume Vilaceca upward-facing green arrow 65'
FL 19 South Africa Gerrie Britz upward-facing green arrow 57'
SH 20 Spain David Mélé upward-facing green arrow 75'
CE 21 France Jean-Philippe Grandclaude upward-facing green arrow 75'
WG 22 South Africa Philip Burger upward-facing green arrow 78'
PR 23 Argentina Sebastian Bozzi upward-facing green arrow 78'
Coach: France Jacques Brunel
FB 15 France Anthony Floch
RW 14 France Benoît Baby
OC 13 France Aurélien Rougerie (c)
IC 12 Italy Gonzalo Canale
LW 11 Fiji Napolioni Nalaga downward-facing red arrow 77'
FH 10 Australia Brock James
SH 9 France Pierre Mignoni
N8 8 France Julien Bonnaire
OF 7 France Alexandre Audebert
BF 6 Canada Jamie Cudmore downward-facing red arrow 50'
RL 5 France Thibaut Privat downward-facing red arrow 55'
LL 4 France Julien Pierre
TP 3 Argentina Martín Scelzo downward-facing red arrow 30'
HK 2 Argentina Mario Ledesma downward-facing red arrow 65'
LP 1 France Thomas Domingo downward-facing red arrow 74'
Replacements:
HK 16 France Benoît Cabello upward-facing green arrow 65'
PR 17 France Laurent Emmanuelli upward-facing green arrow 74'
LK 18 France Loïc Jacquet upward-facing green arrow 55'
N8 19 France Elvis Vermeulen upward-facing green arrow 50'
SH 20 Samoa John Senio
FH 21 Fiji Seremaia Bai upward-facing green arrow 77'
CE 22 Spain Pierre-Emmanuel Garcia
PR 23 Georgia (country) Davit Zirakashvili upward-facing green arrow 30'
Coach: New Zealand Vern Cotter

Leading scorers

[edit]
  • Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.

Attendances

[edit]
  • Attendances do not include the semi-finals or final as these are at neutral venues.
Club Home
Games 		Total Average Highest Lowest % Capacity
Bayonne 13 175,382 13,491 18,840 10,938 79%
Biarritz 13 118,151 9,089 13,104 7,000 61%
Bourgoin 13 91,679 7,052 18,014 4,428 67%
Brive 13 125,756 9,674 14,066 7,892 64%
Castres 13 103,075 7,929 9,451 6,615 69%
Clermont 13 190,622 14,663 15,853 12,207 88%
Dax 13 95,704 7,362 10,204 5,057 46%
Mont-de-Marsan 13 91,270 7,021 10,468 5,445 32%
Montauban 13 91,309 7,024 12,589 5,068 56%
Montpellier 13 150,402 11,569 14,570 9,503 73%
Perpignan 13 166,629 12,818 14,578 11,671 77%
Stade Français 13 325,539 25,041 79,842 7,443 79%
Toulon 13 206,631 15,895 56,953 11,482 91%
Toulouse 13 277,839 21,372 34,993 15,665 93%

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Although the capacity of Stade Jean Dauger is listed at 16,934, the club achieved an attendance of 18,840 at the ground in their game against Toulouse on 13 May 2009. Whether this attendance was achieved due to a temporary capacity increase is unclear but no sources list Stade Jean Dauger as having a regular capacity of this size.
  2. ^ Despite finishing 13th Dax were saved from relegation due to 12th placed Albi going down instead due to financial irregularities.[1]
  3. ^ Capacity of Stade Sapiac up to 12,600 from 11,500 the previous season.
  4. ^ Stade Français would also play three home games at the 81,338 capacity Stade de France.
  5. ^ Toulon would also play one home game at the 67,394 capacity Stade Vélodrome in Marseille.
  6. ^ Toulouse would also play three home games at the 35,575 capacity Stadium Municipal.
  7. ^ This was the first Top 14 match to see both teams earn bonus points since LNR adopted its revised bonus points system in the 2007-08 season.
  8. ^ Toulouse win their 11th consecutive Top 14 match, breaking the previous record of 10 set last season by Clermont.
  9. ^ Toulouse's Top 14-record win streak of 11 ends.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ European Rugby Cup. "Albi Could Miss Out on Europe Following Appeal Decision". Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ a b "Article 330, Section 3.2. Points "terrain"" (PDF). Reglements de la Ligue Nationale de Rugby 2008/2009, Chapitre 2 : Règlement sportif du Championnat de France Professionnel (in French). Ligue Nationale de Rugby. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-17. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
  4. ^ "Bourgoin reste parmi l'élite" (in French). L'Équipe. 12 June 2009. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS PARC DES SPORTS AGUILERA". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE PIERRE ANTOINE". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE MAURICE BOYAU". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE SAPIAC". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE YVES DU MANOIR". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE AIME GIRAL". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE MAYOL". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE JEAN DAUGER". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE MARCEL MICHELIN". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS JEAN BOUIN". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE ERNEST WALLON". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE PIERRE RAJON". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS PARC DES SPORTS". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE GUY BONIFACE". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  19. ^ a b c "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADIUM". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  20. ^ "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE DES ALPES". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  21. ^ a b c "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE DE FRANCE". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  22. ^ "RECORDS DE SPECTATEURS STADE VELODROME". STADES ET SPECTATEURS. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  23. ^ a b "Top 14 : 2008/2009 - Statistiques - Rugby". It's Rugby. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
[edit]
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