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Dimitri Yachvili Markarian is a French former rugby union footballer who played as a scrum-half for Biarritz and France. He played for France from 2002 to 2012, earning 61 caps and scoring 373 points. With them he played in the final of the 2011 World Cup losing to New Zealand and won two Grand Slams in 2004 and 2010. In club rugby, he won a European Cup in 2012 and played in two European Cup finals in 2006 and 2010 with Biarritz. With this club, he also won two French championship titles in 2005 and 2006. With his previous club, Gloucester, he was champion of England in 2002. After the end of his playing career, he became a rugby consultant, a career he began while still a player.
Rugby union in France is a popular team sport. Rugby union was first introduced in the early 1870s by British residents, which makes the country one of the few early exponents of the sport. Elite French clubs participate in the professional domestic club league, the Top 14. Clubs also compete in the European knock-out competition, the European Rugby Champions Cup, which replaced the Heineken Cup from 2014 to 2015.
Provence Rugby is a French rugby union club currently playing in Pro D2, the second tier of France's league system. They were promoted back to the second level for the 2018–19 season after two seasons in Fédérale 1.
The 2005–06 Top 14 competition was the 107th French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) and the 1st using the name Top 14. Previously the league was known as Top 16 but the restructuring of the league at the end of the 2004–05 season meant that it shrank from 16 to 14 clubs. Toulon were the only promoted team having won the 2004–05 Pro D2.
Pro D2 is the second tier of rugby union club competition division in France. It is operated by Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) which also runs the division directly above, the first division Top 14. Rugby Pro D2 was introduced in 2000. It is the world's best supported second tier rugby union league.
The 2006–07 Top 14 competition was the 108th French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) and the 2nd using the name Top 14. Biarritz were out to defend their crown, after their defeat of Toulouse in the 2005–06 Top 14 final. New teams to the league included Albi and Montauban who were promoted from 2004–05 Pro D2, replacing relegated sides Toulon and Pau. During the season attendance records in the league were once again broken with 79,741 attending the Round 19 clash between Stade Français and Toulouse at the Stade de France, and over 2 million supporters attended games across the campaign.
Arnaud Mignardi is a French rugby union footballer. He currently plays for Stade Montois in the Pro D2. He has previously played for CA Brive, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Biarritz Olympique and SU Agen. His usual position is at centre.
Samiu Kaufusi Vahafolau is a former rugby union footballer who played for AS Béziers in the French Pro D2 as well as the Tongan national team. His usual position was number eight.
Simon James Mannix is a former rugby union footballer who now serves as head coach of Biarritz Olympique in the French second division D2 having previously worked at Pau and as a as backs coach for Munster and Racing Metro. Mannix played one test for the New Zealand national rugby union team against France in 1994. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Silverstream.
Alipate Fatafehi is a Tongan rugby union player who plays for Lyon OU in the Top 14 and the Tonga national team. Fatafehi first played professional rugby for Otago in New Zealand from 2006 to 2008 but failed to secure a regular spot in the team, dropping down to the North Otago side for two games in 2008 before gaining a spot in the team for Otago's last game of 2008. His primary position is on the wing, although he played at fullback for Otago and more recently in line with global trends, has been used as a centre because of his size.
Bryn Evans is a retired New Zealand rugby union player, who most recently played as a lock for the Highlanders in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship competition.
Matthew (Matt) Clarkin is an English born ex-New Zealand rugby union player and son of Chele and Paul Clarkin who was known internationally as 'Mr Polo'. His elder brother is John-Paul Clarkin a professional polo player.
Romi Ropati is a retired rugby union player best known for his time with the Highlanders Super Rugby franchise. Although born in New Zealand, he represented Samoa internationally and was a member of the Samoan squad at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is the Coach of Tahiti's Men's National Rugby Union Team.
Christoffel Philippus van der Walt is a South African rugby union footballer. He plays as a number eight for the Newcastle Falcons in the IPA Greene King Championship, having previously played for theSharks in Super Rugby, Cheetahs in Super Rugby, the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup, Biarritz in the French Pro D2 and Canon Eagles in the Japanese Top League.
Francis Saili is a New Zealand rugby union player, currently playing for French club Racing 92. He plays primarily as a centre, though he can also play wing. He is the younger brother of Blues loose forward Peter Saili.
Joshua Furno is an Italian rugby union player who plays Lock for US Dax in Pro D2. He also represents Italy as a member of the Italian national team.
Nephi Tupou Leatigaga is a Samoan rugby union prop for New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby. He has previously played for Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby, Biarritz Olympique in France's Pro D2 and for Piacenza in Italy. He has played six internationals for Samoa in 2016 between 2022.
Luteru Tolai is a professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Pro D2 club Biarritz. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
The 2021–22 Top 14 competition was the 123rd French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).
The 2022–23 Top 14 is the 124th French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).
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