2020–21 Top 14 season

(Redirected from 2020-21 Top 14 season)

The 2020–21 Top 14 competition is the 122nd French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). After play was suspended following the 17th matchday of the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France, the season was officially cancelled without any winner or promotion/relegation on 6 May 2020.[1] Of the 2020–21 season, some last round matches were rescheduled for 16/17 January 2021, with the playoffs and final taking place in June 2021.

2020–21 Top 14
Countries France
Date4 September 2020 – 25 June 2021
ChampionsToulouse (21st title)
Runners-upLa Rochelle
RelegatedAgen
Bayonne
Official website
www.lnr.fr/rugby-top-14

Teams

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Club City (department) Stadium Capacity Previous season
Agen Agen (Lot-et-Garonne) Stade Armandie 13,863 13th
Bayonne Bayonne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) Stade Jean Dauger 16,934 11th
Bordeaux Bègles Bordeaux (Gironde) Stade Chaban-Delmas[a 1] 33,500 1st
Brive Brive-la-Gaillarde (Corrèze) Stade Amédée-Domenech 13,979 10th
Castres Castres (Tarn) Stade Pierre-Fabre 12,500 9th
Clermont Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme) Stade Marcel-Michelin 19,022 6th
La Rochelle La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime) Stade Marcel-Deflandre 16,000 5th
Lyon Lyon (Métropole de Lyon) Matmut Stadium de Gerland 25,000 2nd
Montpellier Montpellier (Hérault) Altrad Stadium 15,697 8th
Pau Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) Stade du Hameau 18,324 12th
Racing Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) Paris La Défense Arena 30,681 3rd
Stade Français Paris, 16th arrondissement Stade Jean-Bouin 20,000 14th
Toulon Toulon (Var) Stade Mayol[a 2] 18,200 4th
Toulouse Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) Stade Ernest-Wallon[a 3] 18,754 7th

Number of teams by region

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Teams Region or country Team(s)
6   Nouvelle-Aquitaine Agen, Bayonne, Bordeaux Bègles, Brive, La Rochelle, Pau
3   Occitanie Castres, Montpellier, Toulouse
2   Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Clermont, Lyon
  Île-de-France Racing, Stade Français
1   Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Toulon

Competition format

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The top six teams at the end of the regular season (after all the teams played one another twice, once at home, once away) enter a knockout stage to decide the Champions of France. This consists of three rounds: the teams finishing third to sixth in the table play quarter-finals (hosted by the third and fourth placed teams). The winners then face the top two teams in the semi-finals, with the winners meeting in the final at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

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 made it impossible for either team to earn a bonus point in a drawn match. LNR chose to continue with this system for subsequent seasons.[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 5 points (or fewer). The margin had been 7 points until being changed prior to the 2014–15 season.

Table

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2020–21 Top 14 Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Diff. Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1 Toulouse (CH) 26 17 1 8 767 557 +210 8 3 81
2 La Rochelle (RU) 26 17 0 9 726 452 +274 6 4 78
3 Racing (SF) 26 17 0 9 757 577 +180 6 4 78
4 Bordeaux Bègles (SF) 26 15 1 10 740 546 +194 7 3 72
5 Clermont (QF) 26 15 1 10 830 619 +211 6 3 71
6 Stade Français (QF) 26 15 0 11 701 622 +79 6 4 70
7 Castres 26 15 1 10 625 676 –51 3 4 69
8 Toulon 26 14 0 12 641 605 +36 7 3 66
9 Lyon 26 14 1 11 678 568 +110 3 4 65
10 Montpellier 26 10 0 16 579 615 –36 6 8 54
11 Brive 26 11 0 15 585 711 –126 2 5 51
12 Pau 26 9 1 16 688 752 –64 2 6 46
13 Bayonne (R) 26 10 0 16 565 796 –231 1 5 46
14 Agen (R) 26 0 0 26 315 1101 –786 0 2 2

If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

  1. Competition points earned in head-to-head matches
  2. Points difference in head-to-head matches
  3. Try differential in head-to-head matches
  4. Points difference in all matches
  5. Try differential in all matches
  6. Points scored in all matches
  7. Tries scored in all matches
  8. Fewer matches forfeited
  9. Classification in the previous Top 14 season
Green background (rows 1 and 2) receive semi-final play-off places and receive berths in the 2021–22 European Rugby Champions Cup.
Blue background (rows 3 to 6) receive quarter-final play-off places, and receive berths in the Champions Cup.
Yellow background (row 7 and Montpellier) receive berths in the Champions Cup. Montpellier received a berth for winning the 2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
Plain background indicates teams that earn a place in the 2021–22 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
Pink background (row 13) will be contest a play-off with the runners-up of the 2020–21 Rugby Pro D2 season for a place in the 2021–22 Top 14 season.
Red background (row 14) will be relegated to Rugby Pro D2. Final table

Relegation

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Starting from the 2017–18 season forward, only the 14th placed team will be automatically relegated to Pro D2. The 13th placed team will face the runner-up of the Pro D2 play-off, with the winner of that play-off taking up the final place in Top 14 for the following season.[4]

Fixtures and results

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Round 1

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4 September 2020
20:45
(1 BP) Montpellier23–26Pau
Report
Altrad Stadium, Montpellier
Referee: Tual Trainini
5 September 2020
18:00
(1 BP) Lyon23–27Racing
Report
Matmut Stadium de Gerland
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère
5 September 2020
18:00
(1 BP) Agen22–26Castres
Report
Stade Armandie
Referee: Maxime Chalon
6 September 2020
21:00
Clermont33–30Toulouse (1 BP)
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Referee: Mathieu Raynal

Round 2

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11 September 2020
20:45
Pau33–23Agen
Report
Stade du Hameau
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
11 September 2020
20:45
(1 BP) Racing41–17Montpellier
Report
Paris La Défense Arena
Referee: Thomas Charabas
12 September 2020
15:15
Toulouse39–23La Rochelle
Report
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Referee: Tual Trainini
12 September 2020
18:15
Bordeaux Bègles25–20Brive (1 BP)
-Report
Stade Chaban-Delmas
Referee: Luc Ramos
12 September 2020
18:15
Bayonne21–19Clermont (1 BP)
Report
Stade Jean Dauger
Referee: Vincent Blasco Baqué
13 September 2020
21:00
(1 BP) Toulon36–14Lyon
Report
Stade Mayol
Referee: Laurent Cardona

Round 3

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2 October 2020
20:00
Brive19–13Pau
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Referee: Pierre Brousset
4 October 2020
21:00
Toulouse39–19Toulon
Report
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Referee: Ludovic Cayre

Round 4

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9 October 2020
20:45
Bayonne19–36La Rochelle (1 BP)
Report
Stade Jean Dauger
Referee: Luc Ramos
10 October 2020
18:15
Toulon25–21Montpellier (1 BP)
Report
Stade Mayol
Referee: Adrien Descottes
11 October 2020
21:10
Pau29–29Lyon
Report
Stade du Hameau
Referee: Maxime Chalon

Round 5

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17 October 2020
15:30
(1 BP) Montpellier42–13Agen
Report
Altrad Stadium
Referee: Laurent Cardona
17 October 2020
15:30
Pau29–24Bordeaux Bègles (1 BP)
Report
Stade du Hameau
Referee: Vincent Blasco Baqué
17 October 2020
15:30
(1 BP) La Rochelle62–3Castres
Report
Stade Marcel-Deflandre
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
17 October 2020
15:35
Brive16–36Toulouse (1 BP)
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Referee: Sebastien Minery
18 October 2020
17:00
(1 BP) Lyon62–10Bayonne
Report
Matmut Stadium de Gerland
Referee: Tual Trainini

Round 6

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23 October 2020
20:45
Toulon19–6Castres
Report
Stade Mayol
Referee: Pierre Brousset
24 October 2020
15:35
Toulouse7–16Lyon
Report
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Referee: Pascal Gauzere
24 October 2020
18:15
Agen15–26Bayonne
Report
Stade Armandie
Referee: Cedric Marchat
24 October 2020
18:15
(1 BP) Stade Français25–27Racing
Report
Stade Jean-Bouin
Referee: Tual Trainini
24 October 2020
18:15
(1 BP) Clermont50–29Pau
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Referee: Vivien Praderie
25 October 2020
17:00
(1 BP) Montpellier30–6Brive
Report
Altrad Stadium
Referee: Thomas Charabas

Round 7

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31 October 2020
15:15
Brive21–43Clermont (1 BP)
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Referee: Cedric Marchat
31 October 2020
18:15
(1 BP) Bordeaux Bègles71–5Agen
Report
Stade Chaban-Delmas
Referee: Luc Ramos
31 October 2020
18:15
Castres28–26Racing (1 BP)
Report
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Referee: Laurent Cardona
1 November 2020
17:00
Pau24–35La Rochelle
Report
Stade du Hameau
Referee: Adrien Descottes
1 November 2020
21:05
(1 BP) Stade Français48–14Toulouse
Report
Stade Jean-Bouin
Referee: Maxime Chalon

Round 8

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6 November 2020
21:00
(1 BP) Toulon35–19Brive
Report
Stade Mayol
Referee: Pascal Gauzere
7 November 2020
18:15
(1 BP) Bordeaux Bègles43–19Bayonne
Report
Stade Chaban-Delmas
Referee: Pierre Brousset
7 November 2020
18:15
Racing24–22Pau (1 BP)
Report
Paris La Défense Arena
Referee: Sebastien Minery
8 November 2020
19:00
(1 BP) Agen16–19Lyon
Report
Stade Armandie
Referee: Romain Poite

Round 9

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13 November 2020
20:45
(1 BP) Castres29–30Bordeaux Bègles
Report
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Referee: Julien Castaignede
14 November 2020
15:15
Pau16–22Toulouse
Report
Stade du Hameau
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
14 November 2020
17:30
Agen9–38Toulon (1 BP)
Report
Stade Armandie
Referee: Vincent Blasco Baqué
14 November 2020
18:00
(1 BP) Brive19–23Racing
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Referee: Adrien Descottes

Round 1 rescheduled match

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Round 7 rescheduled match

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Round 3 rescheduled match

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22 November 2020
21:05
La Rochelle9–6Racing (1 BP)
Report
Stade Marcel-Deflandre
Referee: Cedric Marchat

Round 10

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27 November 2020
20:45
Castres14–40Clermont (1 BP)
Report
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Referee: Vincent Blasco Baqué
28 November 2020
15:15
Toulon18–13Pau (1 BP)
Report
Stade Mayol
Referee: Cedric Marchat
28 November 2020
18:15
La Rochelle36–22Brive
Report
Stade Marcel-Deflandre
Referee: Luc Ramos
28 November 2020
18:15
(1 BP) Montpellier22–23Bordeaux Bègles
Report
Altrad Stadium
Referee: Maxime Chalon
28 November 2020
18:15
(1 BP) Toulouse63–18Agen
Report
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
29 November 2020
19:00
(1 BP) Racing43–17Bayonne
Report
Paris La Défense Arena
Referee: Vivien Praderie
29 November 2020
21:05
Lyon20–19Stade Français (1 BP)
Report
Matmut Stadium de Gerland
Referee: Thomas Charabas

Round 11

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5 December 2020
15:15
(1 BP) Bordeaux Bègles12–17Racing
Report
Stade Chaban-Delmas
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
5 December 2020
18:15
Lyon22–18La Rochelle (1 BP)
Report
Matmut Stadium de Gerland
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
5 December 2020
18:15
(1 BP) Bayonne20–24Toulouse
Report
Stade Jean Dauger
Referee: Adrien Descottes
5 December 2020
18:15
Agen6–15Brive
Report
Stade Armandie
Referee: Laurent Cardona
6 December 2020
18:00
(1 BP) Pau13–17Castres
Report
Stade du Hameau
Referee: Tual Trainini
6 December 2020
21:05
Stade Français24–23Toulon (1 BP)
Report
Stade Jean-Bouin
Referee: Mathieu Raynal

Round 4 rescheduled match

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22 December 2020
21:00
(1 BP) Castres24–25Brive
Report
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Referee: Thomas Charabas

Round 12

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27 December 2020
16:00
Brive12–8Lyon (1 BP)
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Referee: Romain Poite
27 December 2020
16:00
(1 BP) Racing45–10Agen
Report
Paris La Défense Arena
Referee: Vincent Blasco Baqué
27 December 2020
18:00
(1 BP) Toulouse45–23Bordeaux Bègles
Report
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Referee: Luc Ramos
27 December 2020
19:00
Pau29–27Stade Français (1 BP)
Report
Stade du Hameau
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
27 December 2020
21:00
(1 BP) Toulon27–9Clermont
Report
Stade Mayol
Referee: Pierre Brousset

Round 13

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2 January 2021
18:00
Agen13–43La Rochelle (1 BP)
Report
Stade Armandie
Referee: Julien Castaignede
2 January 2021
18:15
(1 BP) Lyon14–15Castres
Report
Matmut Stadium de Gerland
Referee: Cedric Marchat
3 January 2021
18:00
(1 BP) Stade Français51–21Brive
Report
Stade Jean-Bouin
Referee: Pierre Baptiste Nuchy
3 January 2021
21:05
(1 BP) Clermont22–24Racing
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Referee: Mathieu Raynal

Round 7 rescheduled match

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Round 14

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9 January 2021
18:30
(1 BP) Castres39–23Agen
Report
Stade Pierre-Fabre
10 January 2021
15:00
Brive23–22Montpellier (1 BP)
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
10 January 2021
16:40
Pau31–42Clermont
Report
Stade du Hameau
10 January 2021
17:00
(1 BP) Bordeaux Bègles31–9Lyon
Report
Stade Chaban-Delmas
10 January 2021
21:05
(1 BP) Toulouse48–24Stade Français
Report
Stade Ernest-Wallon

Round 4 rescheduled match

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Round 13 rescheduled match

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16 January 2021
21:00
(1 BP) Bayonne22–23Pau
Report
Stade Jean Dauger
Referee: Pierre Brousset

Round 3 rescheduled match

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17 January 2021
14:45
(1 BP) Montpellier19–21Castres
Report
Altrad Stadium
Referee: Ludovic Cayre

Round 5 rescheduled match

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Round 19

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22 January 2021
20:45
(1 BP) La Rochelle40–3Bayonne
23 January 2021
15:15
Racing32-33Bordeaux Bègles
23 January 2021
18:15
Montpellier16-21Lyon
23 January 2021
18:15
Clermont59-19Castres
23 January 2021
18:15
Agen0-59Toulouse
24 January 2021
14:45
Pau27-32Brive
23 January 2021
21:05
Toulon35-13Stade Français

Round 9 rescheduled match

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5 February 2021
20:45
Clermont26–18Lyon
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Referee: Tual Trainini

Round 8 rescheduled match

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6 February 2021
21:00
(1 BP) Montpellier31–6Stade Français
Report
Altrad Stadium
Referee: Laurent Cardona

Round 14 rescheduled matches

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7 February 2021
14:15
Racing26–22La Rochelle (1 BP)
Report
Paris La Défense Arena

Round 12 rescheduled match

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7 February 2021
18:00
Castres31–21Bayonne
Report
Stade Pierre-Fabre
Referee: Maxime Chalon
26 February 2021
20:45
Toulon14–16Bayonne (1 BP)
Report
Stade Mayol

Relegation playoff

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The team finishing in 13th place faces the runner-up of the Pro D2, with the winner of this match playing in the 2021–22 Top 14 and the loser in the 2021–22 Pro D2.

12 June 2021
17:30
Biarritz6–6Bayonne
Pen: Bosch (1/2) 32'
Hart (1/3) 83'
ReportPen: Lafage (1/1) 52'
Germain (1/2) 94'
Penalties
Hart  Y
Bosch  Y
Barry  Y
Couilloud  Y
Saili  Y
Armitage  Y
6–5 Y Germain
 Y Ordas
 Y Rouet
 Y Costossèque
 Y Muscarditz
 N Luc
Parc des Sports Aguiléra, Biarritz
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz

Playoffs

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Semi-final Qualifiers Semi-finals Final
1 Toulouse 24
4 Bordeaux Bègles 25 4 Bordeaux Bègles 21
5 Clermont 16 1 Toulouse 18
2 La Rochelle 8
2 La Rochelle 19
3 Racing 92 38 3 Racing 92 6
6 Stade Français 21

Semi-final Qualifiers

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11 June 2021
20:45
Racing (3)38–21Stade Français (6)
Try: Fickou 5' c
Thomas 10' c
Machenaud 18' c
Zebo 29' c
Kolingar 42' c
Con: Machenaud (5/5) 6', 11', 19', 30', 43'
Pen: Le Garrec (1/1) 50'
ReportTry: Naivalu 47' c
Macalou 62' c
Nayacalevu 66' c
Con: Segonds (3/3) 48', 63', 67'
Paris La Défense Arena, Nanterre
Referee: Thomas Charabas
12 June 2021
20:45
Bordeaux Bègles (4)25–16Clermont (5)
Try: Maynadier 37' c
Con: Jalibert (1/1) 38'
Pen: Jalibert (6/6) 24', 35', 50', 59', 66', 77'
ReportTry: Penaud 7' c
Con: Parra (1/1) 8'
Pen: Parra (3/3) 44', 54', 63'
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère

Semi-finals

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18 June 2021
20:45
La Rochelle (2)19–6Racing 92 (3)
Try: Retière 29' c
Con: West (1/1) 31'
Pen: West (4/4) 12', 21', 27', 53'
ReportPen: Machenaud (2/2) 8', 14'
Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
19 June 2021
20:45
Toulouse (1)24–21Bordeaux Bègles (4)
Try: Ntamack 5' m
Ramos 67' c
Con: Ramos (1/2) 69'
Pen: Ramos (4/4) 11', 18', 35', 59'
ReportTry: Lam 12' c
Cordero 54' m
Con: Jalibert (1/2) 13'
Pen: Jalibert (3/3) 44', 61', 76'
Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq
Referee: Tual Trainini

Final

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25 June 2021
20:45
Toulouse (1)18–8La Rochelle (2)
Pen: Ramos (4/4) 3', 34', 64', 73'
Drop: Ramos (1/1) 9'
Kolbe (1/1) 40'
ReportTry: Priso 77' m
Pen: West (1/3) 43'
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
FB 15   Cheslin Kolbe
RW 14   Juan Cruz Mallía
OC 13   Santiago Chocobares
IC 12   Pita Ahki
LW 11   Matthis Lebel   74'
FH 10   Thomas Ramos
SH 9   Antoine Dupont   77'
N8 8   Selevasio Tolofua   52'
OF 7   François Cros
BF 6   Rynhardt Elstadt
RL 5   Richie Arnold   59'
LL 4   Rory Arnold   67'
TP 3   Charlie Faumuina   62'
HK 2   Julien Marchand (c)   57'
LP 1   Cyril Baille   62'
Substitutions:
HK 16   Peato Mauvaka   57'
PR 17   Rodrigue Neti   62'
LK 18   Joe Tekori   59'
LK 19   Thibaud Flament   67'
BR 20   Jerome Kaino   52'
SH 21   Alexi Balès   77'
FB 22   Maxime Médard   74'
PR 23   Dorian Aldegheri   62'
Coach:
  Ugo Mola
FB 15   Brice Dulin   22'
RW 14   Dillyn Leyds
OC 13   Raymond Rhule
IC 12   Geoffrey Doumayrou
LW 11   Arthur Retière
FH 10   Ihaia West   64'
SH 9   Tawera Kerr-Barlow   74'
N8 8   Grégory Alldritt   47'
OF 7   Kevin Gourdon
BF 6   Wiaan Liebenberg
RL 5   Will Skelton
LL 4   Romain Sazy (c)   58'
TP 3   Uini Atonio   67'
HK 2   Facundo Bosch   67'
LP 1   Reda Wardi   61'
Substitutions:
HK 16   Samuel Lagrange   67'
PR 17   Dany Priso   61'
LK 18   Thomas Lavault   58'
BR 19   Victor Vito   47'
SH 20   Jules Le Bail   74'
FH 21   Jules Plisson   64'
CE 22   Jules Favre   22'
PR 23   Arthur Joly   67'
Coach:
  Jono Gibbes
  Ronan O'Gara

Leading scorers

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Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ In recent years, Bordeaux Bègles has taken occasional home matches to Matmut Atlantique.
  2. ^ In recent years, Toulon has taken occasional home matches to Stade Vélodrome in Marseille and Allianz Riviera in Nice.
  3. ^ Toulouse often takes high-demand home matches to the city's largest sporting venue, Stadium de Toulouse.

References

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  1. ^ "Top 14 - Pro D2 : les présidents d'accord pour ne pas attribuer de titre". L'Equipe. 6 May 2020.
  2. ^ "French try out new bonus point system". Planet-rugby.com. 27 June 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 13 August 2007.
  3. ^ a b "Article 330, Section 3.2. Points "terrain"" (PDF). Règlements de la Ligue Nationale de Rugby 2008/2009, Chapitre 2 : Règlement sportif du Championnat de France Professionnel (in French). LNR. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  4. ^ Mortimer, Gavin (18 August 2016). "French rugby enjoys a popularity boom as it looks to the future". Rugby World. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Classement marqueurs Top 14 2020–21". L'Équipe. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  6. ^ "RUGBY TOP 14 : STATISTIQUES DÉTAILLÉES SAISON 2020-2021". Ligue Nationale Rugby. Retrieved 27 March 2021.