2006-07 Top 14 season

The 2006-07 Top 14 Competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition that ran from August 2006 through to June 2007. Biarritz were out to defend their crown, after their defeat of Toulouse in the 2005-06 Top 14 final. Both Albi and Montauban were promoted from Rugby Pro D2, whilst Toulon and Pau were relegated from the Top 14.cite web | title=lnr.fr | work=Top 14 . Les clubs | url=http://lnr.fr/Menus.asp?CR=16354&CSR=75697&CSSR=75698&Cle=76232 | accessdate=30 July | accessyear=2006]

Stade Français, who had topped the table at the end of the home-and-away season, lifted the Bouclier de Brennus as Top 14 champions with a 23-18 win over Clermont at Stade de France.

* Second division: 2006-07 Rugby Pro D2 season

Table

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The seventh-place team would have received a Heineken Cup place "if" a French club had advanced farther in that season's Heineken Cup than any club from England or Italy. However, the quarterfinal losses of Biarritz and Stade Français, the last two remaining French sides in the 2006-07 Heineken Cup, to English sides Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers, meant that the "extra" Heineken Cup place would go to England. (The remaining two semifinalists were another English side, eventual winners London Wasps, and Welsh side Llanelli Scarlets.)

The 2007-08 Heineken Cup was in doubt earlier this season. French clubs announced plans to boycott the competition, and the English PRL clubs joined them, demanding a financial stake in the competition from the RFU. However, recent negotiations have ensured that top teams from both countries will now play.

eason synopsis

Stade Français jumped out to an early lead, winning their first nine matches. Although they faded somewhat as the season went on, they held on to top the regular-season ladder. Toulouse and Clermont each entered the final week with a chance to top the ladder, but Stade Français' win over Agen (without a bonus point) made it impossible for Clermont to overtake them, while Toulouse failed to secure the bonus point in their win over Bourgoin that would have made it possible for them to pip the Parisians for the top seed. The last playoff berth came down to the last round between Biarritz and Perpignan, with Biarritz securing fourth place in style with a bonus-point win over Castres.

The final Heineken Cup berth came down to the last round as well, with Bourgoin holding off the challenge of Top 14 newcomers Montauban.

The relegation battle came down to the last week. Narbonne had been assured of the drop after Round 25, while any of six other clubs were in mathematical danger of the drop going into the final week. In the end, Agen, who were next-to-last entering the final week, were consigned to the drop by Stade Français.

Results

Rounds 1 to 5

Round 1
* 18 August Biarritz 29–24 Clermont (1 BP)
* 19 August Stade Français (1 BP) 52–20 Montpellier
* 19 August Albi 24–12 Bayonne
* 19 August Agen 18–6 Bourgoin
* 19 August Montauban (1 BP) 41–20 Narbonne
* 19 August Perpignan 20–16 Castres (1 BP)
* 19 August Brive 9–24 Toulouse

Round 2
* 25 August Castres 16–26 Stade Français
* 25 August Montpellier 26–7 Agen
* 26 August Bourgoin (1 BP) 42–17 Brive
* 26 August Toulouse (1 BP) 23–0 Albi
* 26 August Bayonne 9–20 Montauban
* 26 August Narbonne 25–18 (1 BP) Biarritz
* 26 August Clermont 25–12 Perpignan

Round 3
* 30 August Albi 21–18 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 30 August Montauban (1 BP) 19–24 Toulouse
* 30 August Biarritz (1 BP) 54–0 Bayonne
* 30 August Perpignan (1 BP) 45–6 Narbonne
* 30 August Stade Français (1 BP) 45–13 Clermont
* 30 August Montpellier 20–16 (1 BP) Castres
* 30 August Agen 22–16 (1 BP) Brive

Round 4
* 3 September Bourgoin (1 BP) 35–22 Montauban
* 3 September Toulouse 20–3 Biarritz
* 3 September Bayonne 9–20 Perpignan
* 3 September Narbonne 24–33 Stade Français
* 3 September Clermont (1 BP) 55–7 Montpellier
* 3 September Brive 6–3 (1 BP) Albi
* 3 September Castres 31–26 (1 BP) Agen Round 5
* 8 September Biarritz 12–6 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 9 September Perpignan 30–17 Toulouse
* 9 September Stade Français (1 BP) 48–29 Bayonne
* 9 September Montpellier (1 BP) 33–10 Narbonne
* 9 September Castres (1 BP) 9–13 Clermont
* 9 September Montauban 21–20 (1 BP) Brive
* 9 September Agen (1 BP) 32–3 Albi

Rounds 6 to 10

Round 6
* 15 September Bourgoin 22–3 Perpignan
* 16 September Toulouse (1 BP) 12–16 Stade Français
* 16 September Bayonne 25–20 (1 BP) Montpellier
* 16 September Narbonne (1 BP) 39–17 Castres
* 16 September Brive (1 BP) 14–21 Biarritz
* 16 September Albi 12–10 (1 BP) Montauban
* 16 September Clermont 20–3 Agen

Round 7
* 22 September Montpellier 9–9 Toulouse
* 23 September Stade Français (1 BP) 41–27 Bourgoin
* 23 September Castres (1 BP) 39–15 Bayonne
* 23 September Clermont (1 BP) 43–0 Narbonne
* 23 September Perpignan (1 BP) 24–13 Brive
* 23 September Biarritz 20–6 Albi
* 23 September Agen 13–9 (1 BP) Montauban

Round 8
* 26 September Bourgoin 25–3 Montpellier
* 26 September Toulouse (1 BP) 35–3 Castres
* 26 September Bayonne 24–13 Clermont
* 26 September Brive 6–21 Stade Français
* 26 September Albi 16–7 Perpignan
* 26 September Montauban 19–13 (1 BP) Biarritz
* 26 September Narbonne 33–18 Agen Round 9
* 30 September Agen 20–18 (1 BP) Biarritz
* 30 September Castres 18–16 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 30 September Narbonne 25–12 Bayonne
* 30 September Montpellier (1 BP) 12–17 Brive
* 30 September Perpignan (1 BP) 13–18 Montauban
* 30 September Stade Français 25–12 Albi
* 30 September Clermont (1 BP) 46–9 Toulouse

Round 10
* 6 October Montauban 15–9 (1 BP) Stade Français
* 7 October Biarritz 25–10 Perpignan
* 7 October Albi 15–9 (1 BP) Montpellier
* 7 October Bayonne 19–15 (1 BP) Agen
* 7 October Brive 22–15 (1 BP) Castres
* 7 October Toulouse 40–34 (1 BP) Narbonne
* 7 October Bourgoin (1 BP) 22–28 Clermont

Rounds 11 to 15

Round 11
* 14 October Bayonne 9–20 Toulouse
* 14 October Castres (1 BP) 16–19 Albi
* 14 October Clermont (1 BP) 44–3 Brive
* 14 October Montpellier 19–17 (1 BP) Montauban
* 14 October Narbonne (1 BP) 20–23 Bourgoin
* 14 October Agen (1 BP) 6–13 Perpignan
* 14 October Stade Français 22–16 (1 BP) Biarritz
** For the second consecutive year, this fixture is played at France's national stadium, Stade de France in Saint-Denis. Also for the second consecutive year, this fixture sets a record for the largest crowd ever to see a regular-season league match in any French sport. The official attendance of 79,619 breaks last year's record of 79,604.

Round 12
* 3 November Albi 6–27 Clermont
* 4 November Perpignan 11–10 (1 BP) Stade Français
* 4 November Biarritz (1 BP) 44–11 Montpellier
* 4 November Bourgoin (1 BP) 39–10 Bayonne
* 4 November Brive 23–21 (1 BP) Narbonne
* 4 November Montauban 15–15 Castres
* 4 November Agen 24–16 Toulouse

Round 13
* 10 November Toulouse 25–15 Bourgoin
* 11 November Stade Français 31–8 Agen
* 11 November Bayonne (1 BP) 29–6 Brive
* 11 November Castres (1 BP) 12–16 Biarritz
* 11 November Montpellier (1 BP) 12–15 Perpignan
* 11 November Narbonne (1 BP) 50–12 Albi
* 11 November Clermont 27–16 Montauban

Round 14
* 17 November Montpellier 25–13 Stade Français
* 18 November Clermont 25–17 Biarritz
* 18 November Bayonne 15–9 (1 BP) Albi
* 18 November Bourgoin 31–18 Agen
* 18 November Narbonne 37–33 (1 BP) Montauban
* 18 November Toulouse (1 BP) 26–29 Brive
* 18 November Castres 19–13 (1 BP) Perpignan

Round 15
* 24 November Stade Français (1 BP) 43–18 Castres
* 24 November Albi 13–13 Toulouse
* 25 November Agen 14–9 Montpellier
* 25 November Biarritz 42–14 Narbonne
* 25 November Brive 28–3 Bourgoin
* 25 November Montauban 17–18 Bayonne
* 25 November Perpignan (1 BP) 32–15 Clermont

Rounds 16 to 20

Round 16
* 1 December Bayonne (1 BP) 11–15 Biarritz
* 2 December Bourgoin 36–11 Albi
* 2 December Toulouse 30–21 Montauban
* 2 December Narbonne 15–19 Perpignan
* 2 December Clermont 29–17 Stade Français
* 2 December Castres 51–13 Montpellier
* 2 December Brive 19–16 Agen

Round 17
* 22 December Agen 20–9 Castres
* 23 December Montauban 26–17 Bourgoin
* 23 December Montpellier 18–31 (1 BP) Clermont
* 23 December Perpignan (1 BP) 36–30 (1 BP) Bayonne
* 23 December Stade Français (1 BP) 41–0 Narbonne
* 23 December Albi 19–3 Brive
* 23 December Biarritz (1 BP) 16–18 Toulouse

Round 18
* 5 January Bourgoin 9–0 Biarritz
* 6 January Toulouse 16–12 (1 BP) Perpignan
* 6 January Albi 16–6 Agen
* 6 January Brive (1 BP) 11–16 Montauban
* 6 January Clermont 30–23 (1 BP) Castres
* 6 January Narbonne 32–9 Montpellier
* 6 January Bayonne 29–27 (1 BP) Stade Français

Round 19
* 26 January Montpellier (1 BP) 39–17 Bayonne
* 27 January Agen 22–18 (1 BP) Clermont
* 27 January Castres (1 BP) 62–14 Narbonne
* 27 January Biarritz 15–6 Brive
* 27 January Montauban (1 BP) 15–19 Albi
* 27 January Perpignan 16–9 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 27 January Stade Français 22–20 (1 BP) Toulouse (at Stade de France)
** For the fourth time in four fixtures at Stade de France, and the second time this season, Stade Français set an all-time attendance record for a regular-season league match in French sport, drawing 79,741.

Round 20
* 23 March Albi 10–23 Biarritz
* 24 March Bourgoin 19–19 Stade Français
* 24 March Bayonne 19–12 (1 BP) Castres
* 24 March Brive 22–22 Perpignan
* 24 March Montauban 22–12 Agen
* 24 March Toulouse 28–10 Montpellier
* 24 March Narbonne (1 BP) 26–29 (1 BP) Clermont

Rounds 21 to 26

Round 21
* 6 April Montpellier 19–7 Bourgoin
* 7 April Castres 19–35 (1 BP) Toulouse
* 7 April Stade Français 18–13 (1 BP) Brive
* 7 April Agen (1 BP) 19–26 Narbonne
* 7 April Clermont (1 BP) 61–24 (1 BP) Bayonne
* 7 April Perpignan 20–3 Albi
* 7 April Biarritz 9–9 Montauban

Round 22
* 13 April Biarritz 17–7 Agen
* 14 April Albi (1 BP) 16–21 Stade Français
* 14 April Bayonne 16–8 Narbonne
* 14 April Bourgoin 32–19 Castres
* 14 April Montauban 12–29 Perpignan
* 14 April Brive 25–16 Montpellier
* 15 April Toulouse 24–7 Clermont Round 23
* 27 April Narbonne 10–41 (1 BP) Toulouse
* 28 April Perpignan 15–23 Biarritz
* 28 April Agen 16–16 Bayonne
* 28 April Clermont (1 BP) 45–9 Bourgoin
* 28 April Montpellier 23–14 Albi
* 28 April Stade Français 24–17 (1 BP) Montauban
* 28 April Castres 17–15 (1 BP) Brive

Round 24
* 4 May Perpignan (1 BP) 31–18 Agen
* 5 May Biarritz 22–13 Stade Français
* 5 May Albi 19–12 (1 BP) Castres
* 5 May Bourgoin (1 BP) 44–11 Narbonne
* 5 May Montauban 13–12 (1 BP) Montpellier
* 5 May Toulouse (1 BP) 47–28 (1 BP) Bayonne
* 5 May Brive 28–22 (1 BP) Clermont

Round 25
* 11 May Toulouse (1 BP) 47–0 Agen
* 12 May Bayonne 18–11 (1 BP) Bourgoin
* 12 May Castres 25–13 Montauban
* 12 May Clermont (1 BP) 70–6 Albi
* 12 May Narbonne 21–42 (1 BP) Brive
* 12 May Montpellier (1 BP)39–29 (1 BP) Biarritz
* 13 May Stade Français 12–11 (1 BP) Perpignan

Round 26
* 26 May Albi (1 BP) 29–0 Narbonne
* 26 May Agen 5–18 Stade Français
* 26 May Biarritz (1 BP) 32–17 Castres
* 26 May Bourgoin (1 BP) 20–21 Toulouse
* 26 May Brive (1 BP) 6–9 Bayonne
* 26 May Montauban (1 BP) 19–21 Clermont
* 26 May Perpignan 14–9 (1 BP) Montpellier

Knock-out stages

emi-finals

* 1 June Stade Français 18–6 Biarritz at Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
* 2 June Toulouse 15–20 Clermont at Stade Vélodrome, Marseille

Final

* 9 June Stade Français 23–18 Clermont at Stade de France

Notes

References

* " [http://www.lnr.fr/ Ligue Nationale de Rugby] ". "lnr.fr". Accessed July 30, 2006.
* " [http://www.planet-rugby.com/Tournaments/Top_14/story_52594.shtml Top 14 - Fixtures for 2006/2007] ". "planet-rugby.com". Accessed July 30, 2006.

ee also

* 2006-07 Heineken Cup
* 2006-07 Rugby Pro D2 season

External links

* [http://www.lnr.fr/ Ligue Nationale de Rugby] - Official website
* [http://www.planet-rugby.com/Tournaments/Top_14/index.shtml Top 14] on Planetrugby.com