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.
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.
Second division: 2008–09 Rugby Pro D2 seasonEach 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, 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.
France's bonus point system operates as follows:
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).If clubs are level on competition points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- Head-to-head competition points earned.
- Points differential in head-to-head matches.
- Difference between tries scored and tries conceded in head-to-head matches.
- Points differential in all matches.
- Difference between tries scored and tries conceded in all matches.
- Number of points scored in all matches.
- Number of tries scored in all matches.
- Number of forfeited matches
- Final classification in the last Top 14 regular season.
- Fewer red cards issued during the season.
Tiebreakers were needed to determine two placements:
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.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.Schedule and results
From the official Top 14 site. Within each weekend, matches are listed in the following order:
- By date.
- If matches are held on the same day, by kickoff time.
- Otherwise, in alphabetic order of home club.
All times CET.
Round 1
26 August, 19:00 — Biarritz 29 - 22 (1 BP) Bourgoin26 August, 19:00 — Castres (1 BP) 26 - 27 Bayonne26 August, 19:00 — Dax 9 - 31 (1 BP) Stade Français26 August, 19:00 — Montauban (1 BP) 37 - 19 Mont-de-Marsan26 August, 19:00 — Montpellier 16 - 11 (1 BP) Toulouse26 August, 19:00 — Perpignan 34 - 18 Brive26 August, 21:00 — Toulon 22 - 16 (1 BP) ClermontRound 2
30 August, 14:30 — Bayonne 22 - 20 (1 BP) Montauban30 August, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 43 - 20 Montpellier30 August, 14:30 — Stade Français 27 - 22 Mont-de-Marsan30 August, 14:30 — Toulon 3 - 3 Brive30 August, 14:30 — Toulouse 25 - 20 (1 BP) Dax30 August, 16:45 — Biarritz 32 - 17 Castres30 August, 20:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 16 - 22 PerpignanRound 3
5 September, 20:30 — Bayonne 17 - 6 Clermont6 September, 14:30 — Brive 16 - 16 Castres6 September, 14:30 — Dax (1 BP) 6 - 9 Montpellier6 September, 14:30 — Montauban 18 - 14 (1 BP) Bourgoin6 September, 16:30 — Perpignan 11 - 26 Stade Français6 September, 20:30 — Mont-de-Marsan 25 - 18 (1 BP) Toulon7 September, 20:00 — Toulouse (1 BP) 20 - 6 Biarritz (at Stadium Municipal)Round 4
12 September, 20:30 — Toulon (1 BP) 13 - 19 Stade Français13 September, 14:30 — Bourgoin 18 - 6 Mont-de-Marsan13 September, 14:30 — Castres 11 - 19 Dax13 September, 14:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 32 - 10 Montauban13 September, 14:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 38 - 10 Bayonne13 September, 16:30 — Clermont 16 - 6 Toulouse13 September, 20:30 — Biarritz 24 - 5 BriveRound 5
19 September, 20:30 — Dax 30 - 18 Biarritz20 September, 14:30 — Bayonne 19 - 15 (1 BP) Mont-de-Marsan20 September, 14:30 — Castres 12 - 6 (1 BP) Clermont20 September, 14:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 37 - 16 Brive20 September, 14:30 — Toulon 15 - 9 (1 BP) Bourgoin20 September, 16:30 — Montauban 10 - 41 (1 BP) Toulouse20 September, 20:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 3 - 5 PerpignanRound 6
26 September, 20:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 25 - 32 Stade Français (at Stade des Alpes, Grenoble)27 September, 14:30 — Brive (1 BP) 41 - 9 Dax27 September, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 32 - 6 Biarritz27 September, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan (1 BP) 16 - 22 Montpellier27 September, 14:30 — Montauban 24 - 23 (1 BP) Castres27 September, 16:30 — Toulouse 30 - 20 Perpignan27 September, 20:30 — Bayonne 19 - 15 (1 BP) ToulonRound 7
3 October, 20:30 — Castres 10 - 28 Toulouse4 October, 14:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 46 - 3 Montpellier4 October, 14:30 — Brive (1 BP) 53 - 11 Mont-de-Marsan4 October, 14:30 — Perpignan 37 - 12 Toulon4 October, 14:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 34 - 16 Montauban4 October, 16:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 23 - 30 Clermont4 October, 20:30 — Dax 27 - 17 BayonneRound 8
24 October, 20:30 — Mont-de-Marsan 6 - 33 (1 BP) Biarritz25 October, 14:30 — Bayonne 14 - 9 (1 BP) Brive25 October, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 25 - 30 (1 BP) MontaubanThis 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.25 October, 14:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 12 - 19 Bourgoin25 October, 14:30 — Perpignan 17 - 6 Dax25 October, 16:30 — Stade Français 13 - 26 Toulouse (at Stade de France)25 October, 20:30 — Toulon (1 BP) 17 - 21 CastresRound 9
31 October, 18:30 — Montauban (1 BP) 42 - 20 Toulon1 November, 14:30 — Castres (1 BP) 28 - 31 Montpellier1 November, 14:30 — Dax 32 - 10 Bourgoin1 November, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan 7 - 31 (1 BP) Perpignan1 November, 14:30 — Toulouse 21 - 15 (1 BP) Brive1 November, 16:30 — Clermont 22 - 6 Stade Français1 November, 20:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 12 -14 BayonneRound 10
14 November, 20:30 — Montpellier 26 - 13 Stade Français15 November, 14:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 9 - 13 Bayonne15 November, 14:30 — Castres 26 - 3 Mont-de-Marsan15 November, 14:30 — Dax 20 - 20 Montauban15 November, 14:30 — Toulouse 19 - 18 (1 BP) Toulon15 November, 16:30 — Brive 18 - 16 (1 BP) Clermont15 November, 20:45 — Perpignan (1 BP) 27 - 12 BiarritzRound 11
21 November, 19:00 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 12 - 18 Toulouse21 November, 21:00 — Stade Français 19 - 12 (1 BP) Castres22 November, 14:30 — Bayonne (1 BP) 42 - 9 Montpellier22 November, 14:30 — Brive 33 - 28 (1 BP) Montauban22 November, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan 12 - 6 Dax22 November, 14:30 — Toulon 10 - 5 (1 BP) Biarritz22 November, 16:30 — Clermont 29 - 9 PerpignanRound 12
28 November, 20:35 — Toulouse 32 - 11 Bayonne29 November, 14:30 — Castres 9 - 23 Bourgoin29 November, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan 12 - 11 (1 BP) Clermont29 November, 14:30 — Montauban (1 BP) 6 - 9 Perpignan29 November, 14:30 — Toulon (1 BP) 6 - 13 Dax29 November, 16:30 — Biarritz 13 - 32 (1 BP) Stade Français29 November, 20:45 — Montpellier 9 - 22 BriveRound 13
19 December, 20:35 — Dax (1 BP) 16 - 20 Clermont20 December, 14:30 — Brive 20 - 12 Bourgoin20 December, 14:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 33 - 8 Toulon20 December, 14:30 — Perpignan 16 - 9 (1 BP) Castres20 December, 14:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 27 - 6 Mont-de-Marsan20 December, 16:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 35 - 8 Bayonne20 December, 20:35 — Montauban 19 - 12 (1 BP) BiarritzRound 14
2 January, 20:35 — Bayonne 13 - 13 Castres3 January, 14:30 — Bourgoin 15 - 14 (1 BP) Biarritz3 January, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan 16 - 13 (1 BP) Montauban3 January, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 32 - 5 Toulon3 January, 14:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 56 - 15 Dax3 January, 16:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 34 - 0 Montpellier4 January, 20:45 — Brive (1 BP) 15 - 18 PerpignanRound 15
9 January, 20:35 — Dax 9 - 25 ToulouseToulouse win their 11th consecutive Top 14 match, breaking the previous record of 10 set last season by Clermont.10 January, 14:30 — Castres (1 BP) 9 - 10 Biarritz10 January, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan (1 BP) 6 - 13 Stade Français10 January, 14:30 — Montauban 15 - 13 (1 BP) Bayonne10 January, 14:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 40 - 14 Bourgoin10 January, 16:30 — Montpellier 3 - 30 (1 BP) Clermont10 January, 20:35 — Brive 19 - 9 ToulonRound 16
30 January, 20:35 — Toulon (1 BP) 38 - 22 Mont-de-Marsan31 January, 14:30 — Biarritz 17 - 13 (1 BP) ToulouseToulouse's Top 14-record win streak of 11 ends.31 January, 14:30 — Bourgoin 25 - 15 Montauban31 January, 14:30 — Castres 11 - 11 Brive31 January, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 44 - 10 Bayonne31 January, 14:30 — Montpellier 23 - 14 Dax31 January, 16:30 — Stade Français 13 - 13 Perpignan (at Stade de France)Round 17
20 February, 20:35 — Stade Français 22 - 12 Toulon21 February, 14:30 — Brive 19 - 15 (1 BP) Biarritz21 February, 14:30 — Dax 16 - 32 (1 BP) Castres21 February, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan 16 - 16 Bourgoin21 February, 14:30 — Montauban 27 - 19 Montpellier21 February, 16:30 — Bayonne 19 - 12 (1 BP) Perpignan22 February, 16:30 — Toulouse 20 - 13 (1 BP) ClermontRound 18
27 February, 19:00 — Bourgoin 12 - 23 (1 BP) Toulon28 February, 14:15 — Brive 26 - 11 Stade Français28 February, 14:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 44 - 13 Dax28 February, 14:30 — Clermont 43 - 20 Castres28 February, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan (1 BP) 30 - 37 Bayonne28 February, 14:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 50 - 13 Montpellier28 February, 20:35 — Toulouse 9 - 6 (1 BP) MontaubanRound 19
6 March, 21:00 — Perpignan (1 BP) 32 - 8 Toulouse7 March, 14:30 — Castres 31 - 19 Montauban7 March, 14:30 — Dax (1 BP) 15 - 17 Brive7 March, 14:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 33 - 6 Mont-de-Marsan7 March, 14:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 53 - 3 Bourgoin7 March, 16:30 — Biarritz 18 - 14 (1 BP) Clermont7 March, 20:35 — Toulon 3 - 3 BayonneRound 20
13 March, 20:35 — Montauban 22 - 16 (1 BP) Stade Français14 March, 14:15 — Toulouse 26 - 11 Castres14 March, 14:30 — Bayonne 14 - 9 (1 BP) Dax14 March, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 57 - 23 Bourgoin14 March, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan (1 BP) 16 - 18 Brive14 March, 14:30 — Toulon (1 BP) 29 - 32 Perpignan14 March, 20:35 — Montpellier 12 - 9 (1 BP) BiarritzRound 21
27 March, 20:35 — Castres 25 - 9 Toulon28 March, 14:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 37 - 7 Mont-de-Marsan28 March, 14:30 — Bourgoin 22 - 3 Montpellier28 March, 14:30 — Dax (1 BP) 13 - 16 Perpignan28 March, 14:30 — Montauban 19 - 19 Clermont28 March, 16:30 — Brive 13 - 6 (1 BP) Bayonne29 March, 20:35 — Toulouse 15 - 11 (1 BP) Stade FrançaisRound 22
3 April, 20:35 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 43 - 6 Dax4 April, 14:30 — Brive 10 - 42 (1 BP) Toulouse4 April, 14:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 21 - 23 Castres4 April, 14:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 44 - 3 Mont-de-Marsan4 April, 14:30 — Toulon 33 - 20 Montauban4 April, 16:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 19 - 21 Clermont (at Stade de France)4 April, 20:35 — Bayonne (1 BP) 15 - 19 BiarritzRound 23
17 April, 20:35 — Biarritz 12 - 10 Perpignan (1 BP)18 April, 14:30 — Bayonne (1 BP) 61 - 10 Bourgoin18 April, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 52 - 7 Brive18 April, 14:30 — Mont-de-Marsan 21 - 15 Castres (1 BP)18 April, 14:30 — Stade Français 24 - 15 Montpellier18 April, 16:30 — Toulon 14 - 6 Toulouse (at Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)18 April, 20:35 — Montauban (1 BP) 15 - 20 DaxRound 24
24 April, 20:35 — Castres (1 BP) 16 - 21 Stade Français25 April, 14:30 — Biarritz 19 - 12 (1 BP) Toulon25 April, 14:30 — Montauban 15 - 10 (1 BP) Brive25 April, 14:30 — Montpellier 20 - 11 Bayonne25 April, 14:30 — Toulouse 13 - 6 (1 BP) Bourgoin25 April, 16:30 — Perpignan 20 - 16 (1 BP) Clermont25 April, 20:35 — Dax 12 - 8 (1 BP) Mont-de-MarsanRound 25
8 May, 20:35 — Dax 12 - 22 Toulon9 May, 14:30 — Bourgoin 31 - 23 Castres9 May, 14:30 — Brive 28 - 18 Montpellier9 May, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 66 - 3 Mont-de-Marsan9 May, 14:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 19 - 9 Montauban9 May, 16:30 — Bayonne (1 BP) 9 - 12 Toulouse10 May, 20:45 — Stade Français (1 BP) 12 - 16 BiarritzRound 26
16 May, 16:30 — Bayonne 31 - 27 (1 BP) Stade Français16 May, 16:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 38 - 10 Montauban16 May, 16:30 — Bourgoin 19 - 19 Brive16 May, 16:30 — Castres (1 BP) 26 - 32 Perpignan16 May, 16:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 73 - 3 Dax16 May, 16:30 — Mont-de-Marsan 8 - 60 (1 BP) Toulouse16 May, 16:30 — Toulon (1 BP) 23 - 3 Montpellier
