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.
Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne is a French professional rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system. Clermont are two times French champions in 2009-10 and 2016-17. The rugby section is a part of a multi-sport club called AS Montferrand, which was founded in 1911 and adopted that name in 1919. Although the rugby section changed its name to the current ASM Clermont Auvergne in 2004, it is still frequently referred to as Montferrand both within and outside France.
Perry Thomas Freshwater is a retired English rugby union footballer. He is a loosehead prop and occasionally a hooker.
Radike Samo is a retired Australian rugby union player. He plays lock, flanker, number 8 and can even play on the wing.
Sébastien Chabal is a French former rugby union player. He played number eight and lock for Bourgoin (1998–2004), Sale Sharks (2004–2009), Racing Métro 92 Paris, and for the French national team.
Aurélien Rougerie is a French former rugby union player who played on the wing and center for France and ASM Clermont Auvergne in the French Top 14 for his entire 19-year career.
The Stade Marcel-Michelin is a sports ground in Clermont-Ferrand, France. It has been the home of the French rugby union club ASM Clermont-Auvergne since its opening in 1911. The stadium takes its name from the founder of the Association Sportive Michelin (ASM), Marcel Michelin, who was the son of the founder of the Michelin tire company. The Association Sportive Michelin was later renamed the Association Sportive Montferrand (ASM), and the rugby club became known as ASM Clermont-Auvergne. Although the stadium itself belongs to the rugby club, it is built on ground leased from the Michelin tire company.
David Auradou is a French former rugby union footballer. He last played for Paris club Stade Français, where he was the captain, in the élite Top 14. His usual position was at lock.
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.
Seremaia Baïkeinuku is a retired Fijian rugby union player who played most recently for Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership, and represented Fiji at a National level. He plays at both Fly-half and Inside Centre.
Steffon Armitage is an English professional rugby union player who currently plays for French club Stade Niçois.
George Robson is a retired English rugby union player. His position was Lock. He holds the record as Harlequins most capped lock in the professional era with 203 appearances for the club.
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.
James George Selwyn Gibson is an English rugby union player who plays flanker for Gloucester in Premiership Rugby, England's top division. He has previously played for London Irish, Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints appearing in over 250 professional games.
The 2013 Heineken Cup Final was the final match of the 2012–13 Heineken Cup, the 18th season of Europe's top club rugby union competition. The match was played on 18 May 2013 in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, kicking off at 5 pm. The all-French game was won by Toulon, defeating Clermont 16–15.
The 2012–13 Top 14 competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Two new teams from the 2011–12 Pro D2 season were promoted to Top 14 this year, Grenoble and Stade Montois in place of the two relegated teams, CA Brive and Lyon OU. Home-and-away play began on 17 August 2012 and continued through to 5 May 2013. The regular season was followed by a three-round playoff involving the top six sides. The final was contested at the Stade de France between Toulon and Castres; the match was won 19–14 by Castres to earn them their first title since the controversial final in 1993.
The 2008 Argentina rugby union tour of Europe was a series of matches played in November 2008 in Europe by the Argentina national team. Coached by Santiago Phelan, the Argentine national side toured on France, Italy and Ireland playing a total of three matches thereof. Argentina beat Italy and lost to France and Ireland.
The 2015–16 Top 14 competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Two new teams from the 2014–15 Pro D2 season were promoted to Top 14 this year, Agen and Pau in place of the two relegated teams, Bayonne and Lyon. Home-and-away play began on 22 August 2015 and ended on 23 May 2016. This was followed by a playoff stage involving the top six teams, culminating in the final on 24 June 2016 at the Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. The final was moved from its traditional site of the Stade de France in Saint-Denis because of a scheduling conflict with UEFA Euro 2016.
