The 2009–10 Top 14 competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). It began on August 14, 2009 with a match between Toulon and Stade Français at Stade Mayol in Toulon, and continued through to the final at the Stade de France on May 29, 2010.
This year's edition of the Top 14 welcomed Racing Métro, winners of the 2009 title in the second-level Pro D2, and Albi, victors in the 2009 promotion playoffs between the second- through fifth-placed teams in Pro D2, thus becoming the first team to achieve promotion to the Top 14 only one year after being relegated. They took the place of the two clubs from Landes, Dax and Mont-de-Marsan, relegated at the end of the 2008–09 Top 14. Mont-de-Marsan, which had been promoted to the Top 14 for 2008–09, finished bottom of the table and went down. The other newly promoted team in 2008–09, Toulon, finished ninth, sending Dax, who had already finished second-to-bottom the previous season before being allowed to stay in the Top 14 due to Albi's financial troubles, to Pro D2.
The two teams promoted for 2009–10 had very different results. Albi finished bottom of the table by a wide margin and went directly back to Pro D2. Racing Métro, on the other hand, finished sixth, giving them a berth in the newly expanded playoffs and a place in the 2010–11 Heineken Cup. Bayonne finished in the other relegation spot of 13th place, but were reprieved due to the financial problems of 12th-place Montauban.
The season ended with Clermont winning their first French national title in their nearly century-long history, defeating defending champions Perpignan 19–6 in a rematch of last season's final. This result ended decades of frustration for Les Jaunards and their supporters, who had previously tasted defeat in all 10 of their previous final-game appearances.
Each club played 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. This season introduced a new format for the knockout stage: the top two teams qualify directly to the semifinals, while teams ranked from third to sixth qualify for a quarterfinal held at the homeground of the higher-ranked team. The semifinals are then held at neutral sites, with the final being played at the Stade de France. This replaced the classical format consisting of semifinals between the top four teams held at neutral sites.
Going into the season, the top six clubs were guaranteed of berths in the 2010–11 Heineken Cup. The winners of the 2009–10 Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup are assured of berths in the 2010–11 Heineken Cup regardless of their league standing. This means that if a club finishes in the top six and wins one of the European competitions, the seventh-place team will gain a Heineken Cup berth. However, if French clubs win both competitions, only five clubs will qualify for the 2010–11 Heineken Cup via their league position because France is capped at seven Heineken Cup places. France can also secure a seventh berth if clubs from England's Guinness Premiership, also capped at seven Heineken Cup places, win both Cup competitions, and the top club in the European Rugby Club Rankings among those not already qualified for the Heineken Cup is from the Top 14. As it turned out, France earned a seventh berth when Toulouse won the Heineken Cup; because Toulouse had finished fourth on the regular-season table, the extra berth went to seventh-place Biarritz, who were also their opponent in the Heineken Cup final.
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 used 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 made it impossible for either team to earn a bonus point in a drawn match. The LNR chose to continue with this system for subsequent seasons.
France's bonus point system operated 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).Stade de France was listed as an alternate home for Stade Français because the club hosted five of their 13 home matches this season at the national stadium. Similarly, Stadium Municipal was listed as an alternate home for Toulouse, who normally play two Top 14 matches a year at that facility. In addition, four other clubs hosted home matches at larger stadiums, and Stade Français took a home match to yet another ground:
Bayonne-Stade Français, Round 2 — Estadio Anoeta, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain (32,076)Biarritz-Bayonnne, Round 6 — Estadio AnoetaBourgoin-Perpignan, Round 6 — Stade des Alpes, Grenoble (20,088)Toulon-Toulouse, Round 7 — Stade Vélodrome, Marseille (60,013)Biarritz-Toulouse, Round 23 — Estadio AnoetaBourgoin-Toulouse, Round 25 — Stade Gerland, Lyon (41,044)Toulon–Perpignan, Round 25 — Stade VélodromeStade Français–Racing Métro, Round 26 — Stade Charléty, Paris (20,000)On 8 September, Stade Français sacked head coach Ewen McKenzie and his assistant Christophe Dominici after a disastrous start to the season put the Parisians in the drop zone. Jacques Delmas and Didier Faugeron were named as co-head coaches. Dominici, who owns a small stake in the club, was expected to remain in some capacity. (Stade Français quickly exited relegation danger, scoring bonus-point wins in three of their next four matches.)On 26 October, struggling Brive, lying just above the drop zone at the time, sacked head coach Laurent Seigne. The move came a week after honorary club president Patrick Sébastien resigned. Ugo Mola, previously backs coach for Brive, was promoted to the head coaching position.On 7 November, Richard Dourthe resigned at Bayonne after a run of defeats put them in the drop zone. Club president Francis Salagoïty announced later that day that Thierry Mentières and Jean-Philippe Coyola would serve as co-head coaches.On 19 March, Stade Français announced a reorganisation effective at the end of the 2009–10 season. Michael Cheika, whose contract with Magners League side Leinster expires at the end of this season, signed a three-year deal to become Director of Rugby and effective head coach from 2010–11.Notes- It was possible that the sixth-place team on the table would not qualify for the Heineken Cup. However, it would occur only if French teams won both the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup, and both of these teams finished outside the top six on the league table. This did not happen in 2009–10 because only one of the European cups was won by a French team (the Heineken Cup by Toulouse).
- Conversely, if the only French team to win a European trophy finished in the top six, or if both European trophy winners finished in the top six, the seventh-place finisher would receive a Heineken Cup berth. Since Toulouse finished fourth, Biarritz claimed the extra French berth.
Normally, the bottom two teams are relegated. However, on 1 April, the LNR's financial watchdog, DNACG, called Bourgoin, Montauban, and Stade Français for a financial review. No action was taken against Bourgoin or Stade Français, but DNACG announced that Montauban would be relegated because the club could not assure that they could clear their €1.7 million financial shortfall, which reportedly stemmed from a loan the club took out to improve their ground, Stade Sapiac. Montauban could have appealed at the next DNACG meeting on 4 May, but the club wound up filing for bankruptcy on 26 April. The bankruptcy filing confirmed their relegation from the Top 14. They could potentially have been relegated to Fédérale 3, the fifth level of the French rugby pyramid, but ultimately were relegated to the third-level Fédérale 1. These developments meant that Bayonne, who finished second from bottom, escaped the drop.
If clubs were level on competition points, tiebreakers were 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 (fewer forfeits wins).
- Final classification in the last Top 14 regular season.
- Fewer red cards issued during the season.
Schedule and results
From the official Top 14 site. Within each weekend, matches are to be 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 or CEST, depending on the time of year.
Round 1
14 August, 20:45 — Toulon 22 – 22 Stade Français = 13'48015 August, 16:00 — Albi (1 BP) 13 – 19 Racing Métro= 8'23315 August, 16:00 — Biarritz 12 – 24 Castres= 11'53015 August, 16:00 — Bourgoin 28 – 37 Clermont= 6'57715 August, 16:00 — Montauban (1 BP) 16 – 17 Toulouse= 10'62215 August, 16:25 — Perpignan 28 – 20 Bayonne= 13'71415 August, 20:35 — Brive (1 BP) 30 – 9 Montpellier= 10'098Round 2
21 August, 20:35 — Bayonne 38 – 24 Stade Français (at Estadio Anoeta, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain)= 24'41122 August, 16:00 — Biarritz (1 BP) 39 – 6 Albi= 9'85022 August, 16:00 — Clermont (1 BP) 37 – 16 Montauban= 14'33322 August, 16:00 — Montpellier 18 – 12 (1 BP) Perpignan= 11'99122 August, 16:00 — Toulouse (1 BP) 38 – 0 Brive= 18'45822 August, 16:25 — Toulon 27 – 13 Racing Métro= 13'49922 August, 20:35 — Castres 29 – 9 Bourgoin= 7'171Round 3
28 August, 19:00 — Brive 9 – 9 Clermont= 11'28929 August, 16:00 — Montauban P – P Castres= 7'353Match postponed after six Castres players were diagnosed with H1N1 flu.29 August, 16:00 — Racing Métro 18 – 9 Bayonne= 7'63829 August, 16:00 — Stade Français 43 – 26 Montpellier= 8'06829 August, 16:25 — Bourgoin 22 – 17 (1 BP) Biarritz= 5'06329 August, 16:25 — Perpignan 17 – 15 Toulouse= 13'69629 August, 20:35 — Albi (1 BP) 9 – 15 Toulon= 7'241Round 4
2 September, 19:30 — Albi P – P Castres= 8'704Match also postponed due to the H1N1 outbreak in the Castres side.2 September, 19:30 — Bourgoin 17 – 13 (1 BP) Racing Métro= 7'5422 September, 19:30 — Montpellier 22 – 18 (1 BP) Biarritz= 9'8262 September, 19:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 35 – 40 Montauban= 7'0082 September, 19:30 — Toulon 26 – 21 (1 BP) Clermont= 13'1152 September, 19:30 — Toulouse 21 – 17 (1 BP) Bayonne= 18'6392 September, 20:30 — Perpignan 21 – 9 Brive= 12'240Round 5
6 September, 15:00 — Bayonne (1 BP) 53 – 6 Bourgoin= 11'1406 September, 15:00 — Brive (1 BP) 39 – 6 Albi= ?6 September, 15:00 — Castres (1 BP) 33 – 18 Montpellier= 6'9536 September, 15:00 — Montauban 21 – 18 (1 BP) Toulon= 7'4446 September, 15:00 — Racing Métro (1 BP) 14 – 18 Perpignan= 7'9106 September, 17:00 — Biarritz 30 – 22 Stade Français= 9'9216 September, 21:00 — Clermont 19 – 12 (1 BP) Toulouse= 15'803Match attendance source=Ligue Nationale de Rugby [1]- kovana
Round 6
11 September, 20:35 — Bourgoin 17 – 6 Perpignan (at Stade des Alpes, Grenoble)12 September, 14:30 — Montauban 23 – 20 (1 BP) Brive12 September, 14:30 — Montpellier 21 – 20 (1 BP) Toulon12 September, 14:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 44 – 18 Castres12 September, 14:30 — Toulouse 19 – 13 (1 BP) Albi12 September, 16:25 — Biarritz 12 – 6 (1 BP) Bayonne (at Estadio Anoeta)12 September, 20:35 — Clermont 30 – 22 Racing MétroMakeup match, Round 3
16 September, 19:30 — Montauban 18 – 18 CastresRound 7
19 September, 14:30 — Albi 8 – 40 (1 BP) Clermont19 September, 14:30 — Stade Français (1 BP) 20 – 6 Bourgoin19 September, 16:25 — Brive (1 BP) 12 – 15 Biarritz20 September, 14:30 — Castres 9 – 6 (1 BP) Racing Métro20 September, 14:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 28 – 9 Montauban20 September, 16:05 — Toulon 18 – 13 (1 BP) Toulouse (at Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)20 September, 17:00 — Bayonne 26 – 3 MontpellierRound 8
25 September, 19:30 — Albi 19 – 14 (1 BP) Bayonne25 September, 20:35 — Brive 11 – 9 (1 BP) Castres26 September, 14:15 — Perpignan (1 BP) 19 – 3 Clermont26 September, 14:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 23 – 9 Toulon26 September, 14:30 — Montauban (1 BP) 12 – 15 Bourgoin26 September, 14:30 — Racing Métro 18 – 14 (1 BP) Montpellier26 September, 16:25 — Toulouse 9 – 9 Stade FrançaisMakeup match, Round 4
29 September, 19:30 — Albi (1 BP) 21 – 25 (1 BP) CastresThis was only the second Top 14 match to see both teams earn bonus points since France adopted its current bonus system in 2007–08.Round 9
2 October, 20:45 — Stade Français (1 BP) 44 – 16 Brive3 October, 14:30 — Castres 21 – 19 (1 BP) Toulon3 October, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 38 – 13 Bayonne3 October, 14:30 — Montpellier 12 – 30 Toulouse3 October, 14:30 — Racing Métro 17 – 12 (1 BP) Montauban3 October, 16:25 — Biarritz 27 – 12 Perpignan3 October, 20:45 — Bourgoin 28 – 16 AlbiRound 10
23 October, 20:45 — Bayonne 6 – 15 Castres24 October, 14:15 — Toulouse 23 – 3 Biarritz24 October, 14:30 — Brive 10 – 18 Racing Métro24 October, 14:30 — Montauban 20 – 6 Albi24 October, 14:30 — Montpellier 16 – 9 (1 BP) Clermont24 October, 14:30 — Toulon (1 BP) 46 – 28 Bourgoin24 October, 16:25 — Stade Français (1 BP) 14 – 20 Perpignan (at Stade de France)Round 11
30 October, 20:45 — Perpignan 17 – 15 (1 BP) Castres31 October, 14:30 — Albi (1 BP) 15 – 18 Montpellier31 October, 14:30 — Bayonne (1 BP) 8 – 14 Toulon31 October, 14:30 — Bourgoin 14 – 14 Brive31 October, 14:30 — Racing Métro 27 – 20 (1 BP) Toulouse31 October, 16:25 — Clermont 19 – 19 Stade Français31 October, 20:45 — Montauban 14 – 5 BiarritzRound 12
5 November, 19:30 — Biarritz P – P Racing MétroPostponed due to unplayable conditions at Biarritz' ground. The makeup date was initially announced as 1 December, but was further postponed to 2 December after it was noted that the original makeup date potentially violated LNR and French Rugby Federation (FFR) regulations requiring a minimum of 72 hours between matches.5 November, 19:30 — Brive 19 – 14 (1 BP) Bayonne5 November, 19:30 — Castres 9 – 9 Clermont5 November, 19:30 — Montpellier 19 – 0 Montauban5 November, 19:30 — Stade Français 23 – 18 (1 BP) Albi5 November, 19:30 — Toulouse (1 BP) 41 – 3 Bourgoin5 November, 21:00 — Perpignan (1 BP) 25 – 9 ToulonRound 13
20 November, 19:00 — Albi 24 – 23 (1 BP) Perpignan21 November, 14:30 — Bayonne (1 BP) 38 – 13 Montauban21 November, 14:30 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 20 – 23 Montpellier21 November, 14:30 — Racing Métro 20 – 18 (1 BP) Stade Français21 November, 14:30 — Toulon 19 – 10 Brive21 November, 16:05 — Castres (1 BP) 30 – 10 Toulouse21 November, 20:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 13 – 16 BiarritzRound 14
27 November, 19:45 — Stade Français (1 BP) 18 – 22 Toulon27 November, 21:00 — Castres (1 BP) 34 – 6 Biarritz27 November, 21:00 — Racing Métro 9 – 6 (1 BP) Albi28 November, 14:30 — Montpellier 3 – 25 (1 BP) Brive28 November, 14:30 — Toulouse 17 – 12 (1 BP) Montauban28 November, 16:25 — Bayonne P – P PerpignanMatch postponed after Perpignan reported that seven of their traveling party (including both players and coaches) were diagnosed with H1N1 flu.28 November, 19:00 — Clermont (1 BP) 32 – 8 BourgoinMakeup match, Round 12
2 December, 19:00 — Biarritz (1 BP) 20 – 23 Racing MétroRound 15
4 December, 20:45 — Montauban 20 – 16 (1 BP) Clermont5 December, 14:30 — Bourgoin 15 – 9 (1 BP) Castres5 December, 14:30 — Perpignan 29 – 3 Montpellier5 December, 16:25 — Stade Français (1 BP) 34 – 10 Bayonne (at Stade de France)6 December, 15:00 — Albi 20 – 9 Biarritz6 December, 15:00 — Brive 27 – 21 (1 BP) Toulouse6 December, 17:05 — Racing Métro 28 – 15 ToulonRound 16
30 December, 18:45 — Montpellier 25 – 23 (1 BP) Stade Français30 December, 19:00 — Bayonne (1 BP) 19 – 23 Racing Métro30 December, 19:00 — Biarritz 23 – 6 Bourgoin30 December, 19:00 — Castres 30 – 7 Montauban30 December, 19:00 — Clermont (1 BP) 52 – 10 Brive30 December, 19:00 — Toulon 41 – 13 Albi30 December, 20:45 — Toulouse 22 – 11 Perpignan (at Stadium Municipal)Round 17
3 January, 15:00 — Biarritz (1 BP) 26 – 10 Montpellier3 January, 15:00 — Brive (1 BP) 29 – 9 Perpignan3 January, 15:00 — Castres (1 BP) 41 – 10 Albi3 January, 15:00 — Montauban 6 – 6 Stade Français3 January, 15:00 — Racing Métro (1 BP) 17 – 18 Bourgoin3 January, 17:00 — Clermont (1 BP) 39 – 3 Toulon3 January, 20:45 — Bayonne (1 BP) 13 – 15 ToulouseRound 18
8 January, 20:45 — Perpignan (1 BP) 31 – 12 Racing Métro9 January, 14:30 — Albi (1 BP) 15 – 17 Brive9 January, 14:30 — Bourgoin P – P BayonnePostponed due to unplayable conditions at Bourgoin's ground.9 January, 14:30 — Montpellier 15 – 0 Castres9 January, 14:30 — Toulon 18 – 7 Montauban9 January, 16:25 — Stade Français 25 – 15 Biarritz (at Stade de France)10 January, 20:45 — Toulouse (1 BP) 15 – 16 Clermont (at Stadium Municipal)Round 19
27 January, 19:00 — Brive 19 – 14 (1 BP) Montauban27 January, 19:00 — Racing Métro 33 – 24 Clermont27 January, 19:00 — Toulon (1 BP) 31 – 19 Montpellier27 January, 20:45 — Castres 32 – 14 Stade Français28 January, 19:00 — Albi 6 – 24 (1 BP) Toulouse28 January, 19:00 — Perpignan (1 BP) 49 – 20 Bourgoin28 January, 20:45 — Bayonne 15 – 0 BiarritzMakeup match, Round 14
5 February, 20:45 — Bayonne 13 – 30 (1 BP) PerpignanRound 20
19 February, 20:45 — Biarritz 12 – 6 (1 BP) Brive20 February, 14:15 — Racing Métro 24 – 24 Castres20 February, 14:30 — Bourgoin 13 – 22 Stade Français20 February, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 45 – 18 Albi20 February, 14:30 — Montauban 16 – 13 (1 BP) Perpignan20 February, 14:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 16 – 22 Bayonne20 February, 16:25 — Toulouse (1 BP) 3 – 6 ToulonMakeup match, Round 18
27 February, 20:45 — Bourgoin 12 – 6 (1 BP) BayonneRound 21
5 March, 20:45 — Clermont 22 – 17 (1 BP) Perpignan6 March, 14:30 — Bayonne (1 BP) 46 – 13 Albi6 March, 14:30 — Bourgoin 22 – 14 Montauban6 March, 14:30 — Castres (1 BP) 35 – 10 Brive6 March, 14:30 — Toulon 21 – 20 (1 BP) Biarritz6 March, 16:25 — Stade Français 0 – 29 Toulouse (at Stade de France)6 March, 20:45 — Montpellier 22 – 19 (1 BP) Racing MétroRound 22
12 March, 19:00 — Albi 7 – 17 Bourgoin12 March, 19:00 — Bayonne 22 – 13 Clermont12 March, 19:00 — Brive 26 – 14 Stade Français12 March, 19:00 — Toulon 19 – 6 Castres12 March, 19:00 — Toulouse (1 BP) 34 – 3 Montpellier12 March, 20:45 — Perpignan 19 – 14 (1 BP) Biarritz13 March, 20:45 — Montauban 45 – 31 Racing MétroRound 23
26 March, 20:45 — Bourgoin (1 BP) 9 – 13 Toulon27 March, 14:15 — Racing Métro 25 – 18 (1 BP) Brive27 March, 14:30 — Albi 12 – 26 Montauban27 March, 14:30 — Castres 26 – 10 Bayonne27 March, 14:30 — Clermont (1 BP) 41 – 3 Montpellier27 March, 14:30 — Perpignan (1 BP) 44 – 23 Stade Français27 March, 16:25 — Biarritz 26 – 10 Toulouse (at Estadio Anoeta)Round 24
2 April, 20:45 — Toulouse 28 – 23 (1 BP) Racing Métro3 April, 14:30 — Biarritz (1 BP) 42 – 13 Montauban3 April, 14:30 — Brive 25 – 15 Bourgoin3 April, 14:30 — Montpellier (1 BP) 62 – 15 Albi3 April, 14:30 — Toulon (1 BP) 31 – 13 Bayonne3 April, 16:25 — Stade Français 19 – 10 Clermont (at Stade de France)3 April, 20:45 — Castres (1 BP) 11 – 17 PerpignanRound 25
16 April, 20:45 — Clermont 25 – 19 (1 BP) Castres17 April, 14:30 — Albi 38 – 24 Stade Français17 April, 14:30 — Bayonne 33 – 25 Brive17 April, 14:30 — Montauban 6 – 19 Montpellier17 April, 14:30 — Bourgoin 15 – 13 (1 BP) Toulouse (at Stade Gerland, Lyon)17 April, 16:25 — Toulon 33 – 23 Perpignan (at Stade Vélodrome)17 April, 20:45 — Racing Métro 29 – 22 (1 BP) BiarritzRound 26
24 April, 16:25 — Biarritz (1 BP) 19 – 26 Clermont24 April, 16:25 — Brive (1 BP) 21 – 26 Toulon24 April, 16:25 — Montauban 22 – 8 Bayonne24 April, 16:25 — Montpellier 34 – 27 (1 BP) Bourgoin24 April, 16:25 — Perpignan (1 BP) 44 – 0 Albi24 April, 16:25 — Stade Français (1 BP) 41 -17 Racing Métro (at Stade Charléty, Paris)24 April, 16:25 — Toulouse 25 – 17 CastresAll times are in Central European Summer Time (UTC+2).
Final statistics at the end of the season (including play-offs). Player nationalities are as recognized by the International Rugby Board; players may have one or more non-IRB nationalities.
Players were selected by fan vote from a three-player shortlist on the official LNR site, and the results are posted roughly in the middle of the following month.
