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The Top 14 is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 is at the top of the national league system operated by the France National Rugby League, also known by its French initialism of LNR. There is promotion and relegation between the Top 14 and the next level down, the Rugby Pro D2. The fourteen best rugby teams in France participate in the competition, hence the name Top 14. The competition was previously known as the Top 16.
Castres Olympique is a French rugby union club located in the Occitanian city of Castres and is currently competing in the top level of the French league system.
The Football Club de Grenoble Rugby (FCG) is a French rugby union club based in Grenoble and founded in 1892.
Jacques Fouroux was a French rugby union player and coach. He captained France when they won the Grand Slam in 1977, and was the manager when the side repeated the feat in 1981 and 1987. Due to his small stature and strong personality, he was nicknamed "Le petit caporal", a reference to Napoléon Bonaparte's nickname.
Chris Masoe is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer, who last played for Racing Metro 92 in the Top 14 and a current professional boxer. He is the brother of boxer Maselino Masoe. He was born on the island of Savai'i
Olivier Brouzet is a French rugby union footballer. His usual position was at lock. He has played over 70 internationals for France, including being a part of numerous Rugby World Cup squads for France. He has also played for a variety of French and English clubs.
David Smith is a Samoan rugby union player who plays with RC Narbonne in the French Top 14 He previously played for the Hurricanes, Blues and Western Force in Super Rugby as well as Toulon & Castres Olympique.
Steven Miimetua Setephano is a New Zealand rugby union player of Cook Islands descent who has represented the Cook Islands national rugby union team. His positions of choice are number 8 or flanker. He has previously played for Waikato and Otago in the National Provincial Championship as well as the Highlanders and Chiefs in the Super Rugby competition. He currently plays for FC Grenoble in the Pro D2.
Gary William Whetton is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He played 180 matches for Auckland, and 58 tests at lock for the All Blacks from 1981 to 1991. He serves on the Auckland Blues board and was elected Chairman in April 2012. He is the twin brother of fellow All Black Alan Whetton.
Olivier Merle is a former French rugby union player. He played as a lock. He was known by several nicknames, including "La Merluche" and "Le Massif Central". He was known for his violent play and after headbutting Ricky Evans the Welsh prop in Paris causing a ruck to collapse on him breaking his ankle, resulted in his being sued successfully in the courts for damages. This was the first case of its kind and BBC video evidence was used in court. After that he never played for France again.
Willy Taofifénua is a former French rugby player. He played as a flanker for FC Grenoble.
Grzegorz Kacała is a Polish former professional rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, and has coached rugby union in the 2000s and 2010s. He was born on 15 March 1966. In rugby union, his position was in the back row, usually Number 8.
Bernard Lapasset was a French rugby administrator who was Chairman of the World Rugby from 2008 to 2016. He previously served as President of the French Federation of Rugby Union from 1991 to May 2008, when Pierre Camou, then vice-president took over. He was also vice-chairman of the National Olympic Committee (CNOSF).
The 1992–93 French Rugby Union Championship was won by Castres who beat Grenoble 14–11 in the final, in a match decided by an irregular try accorded by the referee.
Mihăiță "Mihai" Lazăr is a Romanian rugby union player who plays as a prop for Liga Națională de Rugby club SCM Rugby Timișoara. He also played for the Romania national team, The Oaks.
Tyler Ardron is a Canadian rugby union player who plays for Canada nationally and Castres in the Top 14. Ardron plays in the back-row but is also capable of providing cover in the second row. Ardron made his debut for the Canada national rugby union team against the United States during the 2012 Summer Internationals and has captained the team since 2013, notably at the World Cup in 2015 and 2019. In 2017 it was announced that Ardron had signed with the Super Rugby side the Chiefs for the 2018 season and Bay of Plenty for the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup season.
Laurent Labit is a retired French rugby union footballer, and current head coach of Top 14 side Stade Français.
The 2018–19 Top 14 competition was the 120th season of the French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Two new teams from the 2017–18 Pro D2 season were promoted to Top 14 in place of the two relegated teams, Oyonnax and Brive.
Gilbert Brunat was a French rugby union player who played wing and hooker.
References
- ↑ "New Zealand All Blacks rugby team official website, New Zealand Rugby Football Union". 22 October 2008. Archived from the original on 22 October 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2021.