2022–23 Top 14 season

French rugby union season

2022–23 Top 14

Countries|  France
Number of teams| 14
Date| 3 September 2022 – 17 June 2023
Champions| Toulouse (22nd title)
Runners-up| La Rochelle
Relegated| Brive
Matches played| 182
Attendance| 2,701,031
(average 14,841 per match)
Highest attendance|

* 43,803
* (Toulon v Toulouse, 6 May)

Top point scorer|  Joris Segonds (Stade Français) (240)
Top try scorer|  Émilien Gailleton (Pau) (14)

<- 2021–22

2023–24 ->

The 2022–23 Top 14 is the 124th French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).

## Format

[edit]

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,[1] 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.[2]

France's bonus point system operates as follows:[2]

* 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.

From the 2017–18 season onwards, only the 14th placed team is automatically relegated to the Pro D2. The 13th placed team play the runner-up of the Pro D2 play-off, with the winner taking up the final place in the Top 14 for the following season.[3]

## Teams

[edit]

Bayonne

Bordeaux Bègles

Brive

Castres

Clermont

La Rochelle

Lyon

Montpellier

Pau

Perpignan

Racing

Stade Français

Toulon

Toulouse

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the 2021–22 Top 14 teams

Fourteen clubs will compete in the 2022-23 Top 14 season, 13 of them returning. Biarritz were relegated to Pro D2 after finishing at the bottom of the table the previous season. Bayonne is the sole promoted club, finishing second in the Pro D2 the previous season and winning the Pro D2 playoffs. Perpignan, which finished 13th in the previous Top 14 season, defeated Mont-de-Marsan in the relegation playoffs to retain their place.

Club  | City (department)  | Stadium  | Capacity  | Previous season

|
|
|
|

Bayonne | Bayonne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)  | Stade Jean Dauger | 16,934  | Promoted from Pro D2 (runners-up)
Bordeaux Bègles | Bordeaux (Gironde)  | Stade Chaban-Delmas[a 1] | 33,500  | Semi-finals (4th in league)
Brive | Brive-la-Gaillarde (Corrèze)  | Stade Amédée-Domenech | 13,979  | 11th
Castres | Castres (Tarn)  | Stade Pierre-Fabre | 12,500  | 7th
Clermont | Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme)  | Stade Marcel-Michelin | 19,022  | Quarter-finals (5th in league)
La Rochelle | La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime)  | Stade Marcel-Deflandre | 16,000  | 2nd
Lyon | Lyon (Métropole de Lyon)  | Matmut Stadium de Gerland | 25,000  | 9th
Montpellier | Montpellier (Hérault)  | Altrad Stadium | 15,697  | 10th
Pau | Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)  | Stade du Hameau | 18,324  | 12th
Perpignan | Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales)  | Stade Aimé Giral | 14,593  | Promoted from Pro D2 (champions)
Racing | Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine)  | Paris La Défense Arena | 30,681  | Semi-finals (3rd in league)
Stade Français | Paris, 16th arrondissement | Stade Jean-Bouin | 20,000  | Quarter-finals (6th in league)
Toulon | Toulon (Var)  | Stade Mayol[a 2] | 18,200  | 8th
Toulouse | Toulouse (Haute-Garonne)  | Stade Ernest-Wallon[a 3] | 18,784  | 1st

## Table

[edit]

| 2022–23 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 | 682 | 474 | +208 | 8 | 3 | 81
2 | La Rochelle (RU) | 26 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 673 | 479 | +194 | 7 | 3 | 78
3 | Lyon (QF) | 26 | 14 | 1 | 11 | 688 | 626 | +62 | 4 | 5 | 67
4 | Stade Français (QF) | 26 | 13 | 2 | 11 | 616 | 480 | +136 | 5 | 6 | 67
5 | Racing (SF) | 26 | 14 | 1 | 11 | 734 | 684 | +50 | 5 | 3 | 66
6 | Bordeaux Bègles (SF) | 26 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 576 | 501 | +75 | 4 | 5 | 63
7 | Toulon | 26 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 588 | 557 | +31 | 3 | 2 | 61
8 | Bayonne | 26 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 596 | 662 | –66 | 2 | 2 | 58
9 | Castres | 26 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 532 | 635 | –103 | 1 | 2 | 57
10 | Clermont | 26 | 11 | 1 | 14 | 588 | 635 | –39 | 4 | 6 | 56
11 | Montpellier | 26 | 11 | 0 | 15 | 624 | 617 | +7 | 4 | 6 | 54
12 | Pau | 26 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 591 | 634 | –43 | 6 | 4 | 52
13 | Perpignan | 26 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 503 | 724 | –221 | 0 | 3 | 43
14 | Brive (R) | 26 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 440 | 731 | –291 | 1 | 7 | 36

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 2023–24 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 8) receive berths in the Champions Cup.
Plain background indicates teams that earn a place in the 2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup.
Pink background (row 13) will be contest a play-off with the runners-up of the 2022–23 Rugby Pro D2 season for a place in the 2023–24 Top 14 season.
Red background (row 14) will be relegated to Rugby Pro D2. Final table

## Playoffs

[edit]

| Semi-final Qualifiers | | | Semi-finals | | | Final |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 1 | Toulouse | 41 | |
| 4 | Stade Français | 20 | | | 5 | Racing | 14 |
| 5 | Racing | 33 | | | | | | 1 | Toulouse | 29 |
| | | | | | 2 | La Rochelle | 26 |
| | | | 2 | La Rochelle | 24 | | | |
| 3 | Lyon | 25 | | | 6 | Bordeaux Bègles | 13 |
| 6 | Bordeaux Bègles | 32 | |

### Semi-final Qualifiers

[edit]

3 June 2023
14:00

Stade Français (4)| 20–33| (5) Racing

|
|

Try: Macalou 33' c
Penalty try 40+1'
Con: Segonds (1/1) 35'
Pen: Segonds (2/2) 17', 69'| Report| Try: Imhoff 10' c
Lauret 19' c
Fickou 80' c
Con: Gibert (2/2) 11', 20'
Pen: Russell (4/4) 26', 44', 52', 55'
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 18,691
Referee: Pierre Brousset

4 June 2023
21:05

Lyon (3)| 25–32| (6) Bordeaux Bègles

|
|

Try: Dumortier 10' c
Tuisova 30' c
Maraku 74' m
Con: Sopoaga (2/2) 11', 32'
Pen: Sopoaga (2/2) 40+1', 58'| Report| Try: Jalibert 7' m
Diaby 47' c
Tambwe (2) 67' c, 78' c
Con: Jalibert (3/4) 48', 68', 79'
Pen: Jalibert (1/1) 24'
Lucu (1/1) 71'
Matmut Stadium de Gerland
Attendance: 17,304
Referee: Ludovic Cayre

* * *

### Semi-finals

[edit]

9 June 2023
21:00

Toulouse (1)| 41–14| (5) Racing

|
|

Try: Lebel 18' c
Meafou 23' c
Roumat 50' c
Retière 58' c
Cros 80' c
Con: Ramos (5/5) 19', 24', 51', 59', 80+1'
Pen: Ramos (2/2) 34', 40+1'| Report| Try: Fickou 71' c
Diallo 76' c
Con: Russell (2/2) 72', 77'
Anoeta Stadium
Attendance: 39,252
Referee: Mathieu Raynal

10 June 2023
17:00

La Rochelle (2)| 24–13| (6) Bordeaux Bègles

|
|

Try: Leyds 9' c
Bourgarit 21' c
Boudehent 38' c
Con: Hastoy (3/3) 10', 22', 39'
Pen: Hastoy (1/2) 71'| Report| Try: Penalty try 49'
Pen: Jalibert (2/2) 4', 44'
Anoeta Stadium
Attendance: 39,314
Referee: Adrien Marbot

* * *

### Final

[edit]

17 June 2023
21:00

Toulouse (1)| 29–26| (2) La Rochelle

|
|

Try: Chocobares 23' c
Ntamack 78' c
Con: Ramos (2/2) 25', 79'
Pen: Ramos (5/6) 10', 21', 51', 60', 63'| Report| Try: Kerr-Barlow 39' c
Atonio 45' c
Con: Hastoy (2/2) 40', 46'
Pen: Hastoy (4/6) 16', 30', 67', 71'
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Attendance: 79,804
Referee: Tual Trainini

|  |

|

FB | 15 |  Thomas Ramos
RW | 14 |  Arthur Retière
OC | 13 |  Santiago Chocobares
IC | 12 |  Pita Ahki
LW | 11 |  Matthis Lebel
FH | 10 |  Romain Ntamack
SH | 9 |  Antoine Dupont (c)
N8 | 8 |  Alexandre Roumat
OF | 7 |  Francois Cros
BF | 6 |  Jack Willis
RL | 5 |  Emmanuel Meafou
LL | 4 |  Richie Arnold
TP | 3 |  Dorian Aldegheri
HK | 2 |  Julien Marchand
LP | 1 |  Cyril Baille
Substitutions:
HK | 16 |  Peato Mauvaka
PR | 17 |  Rodrigue Neti
LK | 18 |  Thibaud Flament
N8 | 19 |  Alban Placines
FL | 20 |  Selevasio Tolofua
CE | 21 |  Pierre-Louis Barassi
WG | 22 |  Juan Cruz Mallia
PR | 23 |  Charlie Faumuina
Coach:
Ugo Mola
|  |

|

FB | 15 |  Brice Dulin
RW | 14 |  Dillyn Leyds
OC | 13 |  Ulupano Seuteni
IC | 12 |  Jonathan Danty
LW | 11 |  Raymond Rhule
FH | 10 |  Antoine Hastoy
SH | 9 |  Tawera Kerr-Barlow
N8 | 8 |  Grégory Alldritt
OF | 7 |  Levani Botia
BF | 6 |  Paul Boudehent
RL | 5 |  Will Skelton
LL | 4 |  Romain Sazy
TP | 3 |  Uini Atonio (c)
HK | 2 |  Pierre Bourgarit
LP | 1 |  Reda Wardi
Substitutions:
HK | 16 |  Quentin Lespiaucq
PR | 17 |  Joel Sclavi
LK | 18 |  Thomas Lavault
FL | 19 |  Ultan Dillane
FL | 20 |  Remi Bourdeau
FH | 21 |  Thomas Berjon
CE | 22 |  Jules Favre
PR | 23 |  Georges-Henri Colombe
Coach:
Ronan O'Gara

## See also

[edit]

* List of 2022–23 Top 14 transfers
* 2022–23 Rugby Pro D2 season

## Notes

[edit]

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

[edit]

1. ^ "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.
2. ^ 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.
3. ^ Mortimer, Gavin (18 August 2016). "French rugby enjoys a popularity boom as it looks to the future". Rugby World. Retrieved 10 May 2017.

* v
* t
* e

Top 14

* National Rugby League
* Bouclier de Brennus
* Foreign players

Teams|

| 2023–24|

* Bayonne
* Bordeaux
* Castres
* Clermont
* La Rochelle
* Lyon
* Montpellier
* Oyonnax
* Pau
* Perpignan
* Racing
* Stade Français
* Toulon
* Toulouse

|

Former|

* Agen
* Albi
* Auch
* Aurillac
* Béziers
* Biarritz
* Bourgoin-Jallieu
* Brive
* Colomiers
* Dax
* Dijon
* Grenoble
* Montauban
* Mont-de-Marsan
* Narbonne
* Nîmes
* Paris Université
* Périgueux
* Rumilly

Seasons|

| Amateur|

* 1892
* 1892–93
* 1893–94
* 1894–95
* 1895–96
* 1896–97
* 1897–98
* 1898–99
* 1899–1900
* 1900–01
* 1901–02
* 1902–03
* 1903–04
* 1904–05
* 1905–06
* 1906–07
* 1907–08
* 1908–09
* 1909–10
* 1910–11
* 1911–12
* 1912–13
* 1913–14
* 1914–15
* 1915–16
* 1916–17
* 1917–18
* 1918–19
* 1919–20
* 1920–21
* 1921–22
* 1922–23
* 1923–24
* 1924–25
* 1925–26
* 1926–27
* 1927–28
* 1928–29
* 1929–30
* 1930–31
* 1931–32
* 1932–33
* 1933–34
* 1934–35
* 1935–36
* 1936–37
* 1937–38
* 1938–39
* 1939–40
* 1940–41
* 1941–42
* 1942–43
* 1943–44
* 1944–45
* 1945–46
* 1946–47
* 1947–48
* 1948–49
* 1949–50
* 1950–51
* 1951–52
* 1952–53
* 1953–54
* 1954–55
* 1955–56
* 1956–57
* 1957–58
* 1958–59
* 1959–60
* 1960–61
* 1961–62
* 1962–63
* 1963–64
* 1964–65
* 1965–66
* 1966–67
* 1967–68
* 1968–69
* 1969–70
* 1970–71
* 1971–72
* 1972–73
* 1973–74
* 1974–75
* 1975–76
* 1976–77
* 1977–78
* 1978–79
* 1979–80
* 1980–81
* 1981–82
* 1982–83
* 1983–84
* 1984–85
* 1985–86
* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95

|

Professional|

* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25

| Transfers|

* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25

|

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