Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

2007–08 Top 14 season

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Countries
  
France

Runners-up
  
Clermont

Country
  
France

Champions
  
Toulouse

Champion
  
Stade Toulousain

Relegated
  
SC Albi, FC Auch Gers

2007–08 Top 14 season httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaencc9Rug

Similar
  
2008–09 Top 14 season, 2011–12 Top 14 season, 2013–14 Top 14 season, 2014–15 Top 14 season

The 2007-08 Top 14 Competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition, operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Because France hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup, the competition did not begin at its normal time of August, but instead started on the last weekend in October 2007, one week after the Rugby World Cup final. The league compensated for the late start by playing on several weekends that it normally skips, namely the weekends of the 2008 Six Nations Championship and the semifinals and final of the 2007-08 Heineken Cup. The season ended on June 28, 2008, with Toulouse defeating regular-season league leader Clermont 26–20 in the final and thereby lifting the Bouclier de Brennus.

Contents

This year's edition of the Top 14 welcomed Auch and Dax, who earned promotion from Rugby Pro D2. Agen and Narbonne were relegated from the Top 14.

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, with the final at Stade de France. Going into the season, the top six clubs were guaranteed of berths in the 2008-09 Heineken Cup. Since Toulouse advanced to the 2007-08 Heineken Cup final against Irish club Munster, thereby assuring a higher finish for a French team in that competition than for any team from England or Italy, the seventh-place club also earned a berth in the 2008-09 Heineken Cup. The bottom two teams were provisionally relegated to Pro D2, with the possibility of one or both of the bottom teams to be reprieved if a team above them failed a postseason financial audit. This happened in 2007-08, as Albi failed the audit, ultimately giving a reprieve to second-from bottom Dax.

This season, LNR trialled a modification to the bonus point system in both the Top 14 and Pro D2. The system to be used this season was:

  • 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).

    • This system was explicitly intended to prevent a losing team from earning two bonus points, as is possible under the standard system.

  • Second division: 2007-08 Rugby Pro D2 season

    • Popularity

    The league has seen a major increase in attendance in recent years. In 2006-07, per-game attendance averaged 10,549, up from 9,288 in 2005-06 and 7,255 in 2004-05, when the league consisted of 16 teams instead of its current 14. The 2005-06 and 2006-07 totals are skewed to some degree because Stade Français drew over 79,000 fans to each of the two fixtures they played at Stade de France in both seasons. However, even if the Stade de France fixtures are not included, per-game attendance was 8,549 in 2005-06 and 9,267 in 2006-07, both well above the 2004-05 figures.

    The final average attendance for the 2007-08 regular season was 10,966, another increase from the previous season. The LNR also reported that league-wide season ticket sales were up by 11% from 2006-07. The most-attended matches were the three Stade Français matches played at Stade de France, each of which drew more than 75,000, and Toulouse's home opener in Round 2 against Montpellier, which drew 34,791 at Stadium Municipal.

    If clubs are level on competition points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

    1. Head-to-head competition points earned.
    2. Points differential in head-to-head matches.
    3. Difference between tries scored and tries conceded in head-to-head matches.
    4. Points differential in all matches.
    5. Difference between tries scored and tries conceded in all matches.
    6. Number of points scored in all matches.
    7. Number of tries scored in all matches.
    8. Final classification in the last Top 14 regular season.
    9. Fewer red cards issued during the season.

    Albi's relegation

    Due to financial irregularities, SC Albi were relegated to the Pro D2 for 2008-09. This saved Dax from relegation and gave them what had been Albi's place in the Challenge Cup.

    Schedule and results

    From the official Top 14 site. Within each weekend, matches are listed in the following order:

    1. By date.
    2. If matches are held on the same day, by kickoff time.
    3. Otherwise, in alphabetic order of home club.

    All times CET.

    Rounds 1 to 5

    Round 1

  • 26 October, 20:30 — Dax (1 BP) 10 - 15 Toulouse
  • 27 October, 15:00 — Stade Français 23 - 17 (1 BP) Clermont (at Stade de France)
  • 27 October, 17:30 — Biarritz 15 - 15 Albi
  • 27 October, 17:30 — Bourgoin 10 - 8 (1 BP) Montauban
  • 27 October, 17:30 — Brive (1 BP) 21 - 22 Bayonne
  • 27 October, 17:30 — Castres 25 - 12 Auch
  • 27 October, 20:30 — Montpellier 19 - 12 (1 BP) Perpignan

    • Round 2

  • 2 November, 19:30 — Brive (1 BP) 7 - 12 Biarritz
  • 3 November, 15:00 — Toulouse (1 BP) 28 - 9 Stade Français
  • 3 November, 17:30 — Albi 21 - 16 (1 BP) Perpignan
  • 3 November, 17:30 — Auch (1 BP) 13 - 14 Bourgoin
  • 3 November, 17:30 — Clermont 33 - 20 Montpellier
  • 3 November, 17:30 — Montauban 15 - 12 (1 BP) Castres
  • 3 November, 20:30 — Bayonne (1 BP) 27 - 0 Dax

    • Round 3

  • 23 November, 20:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 46 - 6 Bayonne
  • 24 November, 15:00 — Biarritz 6 - 18 Toulouse
  • 24 November, 17:30 — Dax 16 - 6 Auch
  • 24 November, 17:30 — Montauban (1 BP) 43 - 14 Brive
  • 24 November, 17:30 — Montpellier 25 - 9 Castres
  • 24 November, 17:30 — Perpignan 3 - 3 Bourgoin
  • 25 November, 20:30 — Albi (1 BP) 6 - 12 Clermont

    • Round 4

  • 30 November, 20:30 — Stade Français 22 - 19 (1 BP) Dax
  • 1 December, 15:00 — Bayonne (1 BP) 10 - 14 Biarritz
  • 1 December, 17:30 — Auch 19 – 13 (1 BP) Montauban
  • 1 December, 17:30 — Brive (1 BP) 6 – 9 Montpellier
  • 1 December, 17:30 — Castres 0 – 16 Perpignan
  • 1 December, 17:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 33 – 12 Albi
  • 1 December, 20:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 14 – 20 Clermont

    • Round 5

  • 21 December, 19:00 — Auch (1 BP) 11–17 Biarritz
  • 21 December, 21:00 — Clermont 21–17 (1 BP) Toulouse
  • 22 December, 17:30 — Bayonne (1 BP) 35–8 Perpignan
  • 22 December, 17:30 — Castres 32–17 Bourgoin
  • 22 December, 17:30 — Dax 19–27 Brive
  • 22 December, 17:30 — Montpellier 19–14 (1 BP) Albi
  • 22 December, 20:30 — Montauban 24 - 16 Stade Français

    • Rounds 6 to 10

    Round 6

  • 4 January, 20:30 — Biarritz 10–8 (1 BP) Montauban
  • 5 January, 17:30 — Albi 24–17 (1 BP) Dax
  • 5 January, 17:30 — Bourgoin 15–10 (1 BP) Bayonne
  • 5 January, 17:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 26–6 Auch
  • 5 January, 17:30 — Perpignan 23–19 (1 BP) Brive
  • 5 January, 20:30 — Stade Français 33–6 Montpellier
  • 6 January, 21:00 — Toulouse (1 BP) 44–23 Castres

    • Round 7

  • 25 January, 20:30 — Auch 3–34 (1 BP) Toulouse
  • 25 January, 20:30 — Brive (1 BP) 25–6 Albi
  • 26 January, 15:05 — Biarritz 21–8 Perpignan
  • 26 January, 17:30 — Bourgoin 16–31 Stade Français
  • 26 January, 17:30 — Castres 15–14 (1 BP) Clermont
  • 26 January, 17:30 — Montauban 12–11 (1 BP) Dax
  • 26 January, 17:30 — Montpellier 37–13 Bayonne

    • Round 8

  • 1 February, 20:30 — Perpignan 23–3 Montauban
  • 2 February, 17:30 — Bayonne 25–10 Auch
  • 2 February, 17:30 — Brive 26–13 Castres
  • 2 February, 17:30 — Dax 15–14 (1 BP) Bourgoin
  • 2 February, 17:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 35–13 Montpellier
  • 2 February, 20:30 — Albi (1 BP) 18–23 Stade Français
  • 3 February, 21:00 — Clermont 12–9 (1 BP) Biarritz

    • Round 9

  • 8 February, 20:30 — Stade Français 36–7 Brive
  • 9 February, 15:00 — Auch (1 BP) 14–19 Albi
  • 9 February, 15:00 — Biarritz 13–7 (1 BP) Dax
  • 9 February, 15:00 — Bourgoin 23–17 (1 BP) Montpellier
  • 9 February, 15:00 — Castres (1 BP) 37–17 Bayonne
  • 9 February, 15:00 — Perpignan 18–17 (1 BP) Clermont
  • 9 February, 20:30 — Montauban (1 BP) 12–16 Toulouse

    • Round 10

  • 15 February, 20:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 14–18 Biarritz
  • 16 February, 15:05 — Toulouse (1 BP) 41–15 Perpignan
  • 16 February, 17:30 — Albi 33–8 Bourgoin
  • 16 February, 17:30 — Bayonne 25–18 (1 BP) Montauban
  • 16 February, 17:30 — Dax 8–17 Castres
  • 16 February, 17:30 — Stade Français 15–12 (1 BP) Auch
  • 16 February, 20:30 — Brive (1 BP) 9–11 Clermont

    • Rounds 11 to 15

    Round 11

  • 22 February, 20:00 — Castres 16–47 (1 BP) Stade Français
  • 23 February, 17:30 — Bayonne 31–13 Albi
  • 23 February, 17:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 40–13 Montauban
  • 23 February, 17:30 — Montpellier 18–13 (1 BP) Dax
  • 23 February, 17:30 — Perpignan 28–23 (1 BP) Auch
  • 23 February, 17:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 51–3 Brive
  • 24 February, 15:00 — Bourgoin 35–15 Biarritz

    • Round 12

  • 29 February, 20:30 — Montauban 14–6 Montpellier
  • 1 March, 15:00 — Biarritz 9–6 (1 BP) Stade Français
  • 1 March, 17:30 — Albi 6–33 (1 BP) Castres
  • 1 March, 17:30 — Auch 20–30 Brive
  • 1 March, 17:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 27–3 Bayonne
  • 1 March, 17:30 — Perpignan 10–10 Dax
  • 1 March, 20:30 — Bourgoin 30–23 (1 BP) Toulouse

    • Round 13

  • 7 March, 20:30 — Castres 26–19 (1 BP) Biarritz
  • 8 March, 17:30 — Albi 15–25 (1 BP) Montauban
  • 8 March, 17:30 — Brive 29–13 Bourgoin
  • 8 March, 17:30 — Dax 22–40 (1 BP) Clermont
  • 8 March, 17:30 — Montpellier 29–24 (1 BP) Auch
  • 8 March, 18:30 — Bayonne 10–25 Toulouse
  • 8 March, 21:00 — Stade Français 12–23 Perpignan

    • Round 14

  • 14 March, 20:30 — Albi 13–8 (1 BP) Biarritz
  • 15 March, 15:00 — Auch 15–36 (1 BP) Castres
  • 15 March, 15:00 — Bayonne 20–18 (1 BP) Brive
  • 15 March, 15:00 — Montauban 16–11 (1 BP) Bourgoin
  • 15 March, 15:00 — Toulouse (1 BP) 58–5 Dax
  • 15 March, 20:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 27–6 Montpellier
  • 16 March, 15:00 — Clermont (1 BP) 50–12 Stade Français

    • Round 15

  • 21 March, 20:30 — Biarritz 10–0 Brive
  • 22 March, 17:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 36–0 Auch
  • 22 March, 17:30 — Castres 21–7 Montauban
  • 22 March, 17:30 — Dax 11–6 (1 BP) Bayonne
  • 22 March, 17:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 45–7 Albi
  • 22 March, 18:30 — Montpellier 17–56 (1 BP) Clermont
  • 22 March, 21:00 — Stade Français (1 BP) 29–0 Toulouse (at Stade de France)

    • Rounds 16 to 20

    Round 16

  • 28 March, 20:30 — Toulouse 12–6 (1 BP) Biarritz
  • 29 March, 15:05 — Bayonne 14–36 (1 BP) Stade Français
  • 29 March, 17:30 — Auch 16–10 (1 BP) Dax
  • 29 March, 17:30 — Brive 14–7 (1 BP) Montauban
  • 29 March, 17:30 — Castres (1 BP) 12–17 Montpellier
  • 29 March, 17:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 52–17 Albi
  • 29 March, 20:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 9–10 Perpignan

    • Round 17

  • 11 April, 20:30 — Dax (1 BP) 9–13 Stade Français
  • 12 April, 15:00 — Perpignan 20–18 (1 BP) Castres
  • 12 April, 17:30 — Albi (1 BP) 13–20 Toulouse
  • 12 April, 17:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 20–0 Bayonne
  • 12 April, 17:30 — Montauban 30–19 Auch
  • 12 April, 17:30 — Montpellier 20–14 (1 BP) Brive
  • 12 April, 20:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 36–7 Bourgoin

    • Round 18

  • 18 April, 20:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 12–14 Castres
  • 19 April, 15:00 — Toulouse 11–23 Clermont
  • 19 April, 17:30 — Albi (1 BP) 25–12 Montpellier
  • 19 April, 17:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 26–3 Auch
  • 19 April, 17:30 — Brive 30–0 Dax
  • 19 April, 17:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 38–13 Bayonne
  • 19 April, 20:30 — Stade Français 25–18 (1 BP) Montauban

    • Round 19

  • 25 April, 20:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 9–12 Stade Français
  • 26 April, 17:30 — Auch 15–36 (1 BP) Clermont
  • 26 April, 17:30 — Bayonne 19–19 Bourgoin
  • 26 April, 17:30 — Dax 12–9 (1 BP) Albi
  • 26 April, 18:30 — Montauban 19–13 (1 BP) Biarritz
  • 26 April, 20:30 — Brive 7–16 Perpignan
  • 7 May, 18:30 — Castres 6–16 Toulouse (rescheduled because of Toulouse's appearance in the Heineken Cup semifinals on 26 April)

    • Round 20

  • 2 May, 20:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 28–35 (1 BP) Castres
  • 2 May, 20:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 73–12 Auch
  • 3 May, 15:05 — Perpignan 16–3 Biarritz
  • 3 May, 17:30 — Albi 21–18 (1 BP) Brive
  • 3 May, 17:30 — Bayonne 19–16 (1 BP) Montpellier
  • 3 May, 17:30 — Dax 20–16 (1 BP) Montauban
  • 3 May, 20:30 — Stade Français 34–20 Bourgoin

    • Rounds 21 to 26

    Round 21

  • 9 May, 21:00 — Biarritz (1 BP) 11–16 Clermont
  • 10 May, 15:00 — Auch (1 BP) 19–23 Bayonne
  • 10 May, 15:00 — Stade Français 43–20 Albi
  • 10 May, 17:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 50–14 Dax
  • 10 May, 18:30 — Montauban 28–22 (1 BP) Perpignan
  • 11 May, 17:00 — Castres (1 BP) 41–10 Brive
  • 11 May, 19:00 — Montpellier 17–15 (1 BP) Toulouse

    • Round 22

  • 16 May, 20:30 — Brive 11–3 Stade Français
  • 17 May, 15:00 — Clermont 29–15 Perpignan
  • 17 May, 17:30 — Albi (1 BP) 29–0 Auch
  • 17 May, 17:30 — Bayonne 27–16 Castres
  • 17 May, 17:30 — Montpellier 12–6 (1 BP) Bourgoin
  • 17 May, 17:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 28–6 Montauban
  • 17 May, 18:35 — Dax 17–12 (1 BP) Biarritz

    • Round 23

  • 23 May, 20:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 38–7 Brive
  • 24 May, 15:05 — Biarritz 20–0 Montpellier
  • 24 May, 20:30 — Auch 9–6 (1 BP) Stade Français
  • 24 May, 20:30 — Bourgoin 18–13 (1 BP) Albi
  • 24 May, 20:30 — Castres (1 BP) 38–16 Dax
  • 24 May, 20:30 — Montauban 15–12 (1 BP) Bayonne
  • 3 June, 21:00 — Perpignan (1 BP) 50–6 Toulouse (rescheduled due to Toulouse's appearance in the Heineken Cup final on 24 May)

    • Round 24

  • 30 May, 19:00 — Auch 13–25 Perpignan
  • 30 May, 21:00 — Brive 15–12 (1 BP) Toulouse
  • 31 May, 15:05 — Stade Français (1 BP) 44–15 Castres
  • 31 May, 17:30 — Albi 13–6 (1 BP) Bayonne
  • 31 May, 17:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 30–10 Bourgoin
  • 31 May, 17:30 — Dax 16–36 (1 BP) Montpellier
  • 31 May, 20:30 — Montauban 18–16 (1 BP) Clermont

    • Round 25

  • 6 June, 20:30 — Montpellier 12–8 (1 BP) Montauban
  • 7 June, 15:05 — Stade Français 22–18 Biarritz (1 BP) (at Stade de France)
  • 7 June, 17:30 — Bayonne 36–8 Clermont
  • 7 June, 17:30 — Brive (1 BP) 40–26 Auch
  • 7 June, 17:30 — Castres 20–16 (1 BP) Albi
  • 7 June, 17:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 57–17 Bourgoin
  • 7 June, 20:30 — Dax 10–21 Perpignan

    • Round 26

  • 14 June, 15:15 — Auch 12–23 Montpellier
  • 14 June, 15:15 — Biarritz (1 BP) 30–34 Castres
  • 14 June, 15:15 — Bourgoin 22–19 (1 BP) Brive
  • 14 June, 15:15 — Clermont (1 BP) 95–7 Dax
  • 14 June, 15:15 — Montauban 24–17 (1 BP) Albi
  • 14 June, 15:15 — Perpignan 23–19 (1 BP) Stade Français
  • 14 June, 15:15 — Toulouse 35–28 (1 BP) Bayonne

    • References

    2007–08 Top 14 season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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