Top 14 2007/08

[DonBilly]

Perpignan will be a big team with players as Percy Montgomery
But, for me, the champion will be Biarritz. [/b]

Well I rather see the ASM eventually winning their first Brennus shield.

 

[scuubasteve]

Does anyone else (apart from me) think that there may some changes to the number of foreign players in the Top14 and ProD2 once Bernard Laporte becomes Minister of Sport?

Figures for foreign players are currently around 40% in French domestic rugby. They have acknoledged that is too high, so there may be changes on the way.

 

[Darhf]

Does anyone else (apart from me) think that there may some changes to the number of foreign players in the Top14 and ProD2 once Bernard Laporte becomes Minister of Sport?

Figures for foreign players are currently around 40% in French domestic rugby. They have acknoledged that is too high, so there may be changes on the way.
[/b]

Maybe. But Laporte is a network man, and I don't think he'll go against the will of his allies in french clubs. Politically, some clubs are on Sarkozy's side, and the government is for free market (in general). On the other hand, patriotism and national preference is one of the key of this election. It would be a bad sell, so I don't see it happening, or so lightly it won't have any effect.

 

[Jordanas]

I think there will no effect

 

[rugbyfrench]

Perpignan will be a big team with players as Percy Montgomery
But, for me, the champion will be Biarritz.
[/b]

Perpignan is already a good team, even without Percy Montgomery.

According to me Toulouse should win the TOP 14.

for me Toulouse is going to regain the buckler of brennus

stade toulousain with byron kelleher
[/b]

Hi PAT11, the question is at which place will play Elissalde (n°10 ????).

 

[DonBilly]

Does anyone else (apart from me) think that there may some changes to the number of foreign players in the Top14 and ProD2 once Bernard Laporte becomes Minister of Sport?

Figures for foreign players are currently around 40% in French domestic rugby. They have acknoledged that is too high, so there may be changes on the way.
[/b]

This is not going to change that much. The rules that apply for the professional sport are those of the companies. This is actually ruled from Brussels not Paris, this is part of the European rules for the freedom of job market.

 

[steamdonkey]

<div class='quotemain'> Does anyone else (apart from me) think that there may some changes to the number of foreign players in the Top14 and ProD2 once Bernard Laporte becomes Minister of Sport?

Figures for foreign players are currently around 40% in French domestic rugby. They have acknoledged that is too high, so there may be changes on the way.
[/b]

This is not going to change that much. The rules that apply for the professional sport are those of the companies. This is actually ruled from Brussels not Paris, this is part of the European rules for the freedom of job market.
[/b][/quote]

agree

 

[lexave333]

<div class='quotemain'>
Perpignan will be a big team with players as Percy Montgomery
But, for me, the champion will be Biarritz.
[/b]

Perpignan is already a good team, even without Percy Montgomery.

According to me Toulouse should win the TOP 14.

for me Toulouse is going to regain the buckler of brennus

stade toulousain with byron kelleher
[/b]

Hi PAT11, the question is at which place will play Elissalde (n°10 ????).
[/b][/quote]

hi!
i think that toulouse will use alternatively kelleher and elissalde for top14 and h cup!
i'm a toulouse fan and i think they should win in the top14 but clermont ,perpignan and stade francais will be dangerous. brive can be the surprise team i think!

 

[Merjamone]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
Perpignan will be a big team with players as Percy Montgomery
But, for me, the champion will be Biarritz.
[/b]

Perpignan is already a good team, even without Percy Montgomery.

According to me Toulouse should win the TOP 14.

for me Toulouse is going to regain the buckler of brennus

stade toulousain with byron kelleher
[/b]

Hi PAT11, the question is at which place will play Elissalde (n°10 ????).
[/b][/quote]

hi!
i think that toulouse will use alternatively kelleher and elissalde for top14 and h cup!
i'm a toulouse fan and i think they should win in the top14 but clermont ,perpignan and stade francais will be dangerous. brive can be the surprise team i think!
[/b][/quote]

I hope they'll use them alternatively, cause Elissalde is one of our best players, that would be a shame to let him on the bench...

 

[Ruggerboy]

all i know is that the world is going to see some more action from the portuguese players playing in france.

 

[seanie]

I don't really follow French club rugby that much. Has there been any big signings by French clubs over the summer??

 

[lexave333]

I don't really follow French club rugby that much. Has there been any big signings by French clubs over the summer??
[/b]

hello!
a lot of big signings in france, some exemples:
top14:
toulouse: byron kelleher
perpignan: percy montgomery, Henry Tuilagi, burger, britz, cusiter...
clermont: joubert, smit, polu,king, senio...
brive: cooke, mika, van der merwe...
biarritz: willemse, kinikinilau...
paris: milton, taylor...
proD2:
toulon: umaga(coach), gregan, matfield...

 

[seanie]

<div class='quotemain'>
I don't really follow French club rugby that much. Has there been any big signings by French clubs over the summer??
[/b]

hello!
a lot of big signings in france, some exemples:
top14:
toulouse: byron kelleher
perpignan: percy montgomery, Henry Tuilagi, burger, britz, cusiter...
clermont: joubert, smit, polu,king, senio...
brive: cooke, mika, van der merwe...
biarritz: willemse, kinikinilau...
paris: milton, taylor...
proD2:
toulon: umaga(coach), gregan, matfield... [/b][/quote]





:lol: :lol: I clearly need to watch more French rugby parce que I only knew about 4 of those signings

 

[lloyd]

this year it could be a great year with greta player in each team of top 14 or pro d2
toulon what a great roster

 

[grebeo]

I think Stade Francais Paris will win the league this year and the H Cup. the team and the recruitment are very interresting and SF will be very strong

 

[mirino]

tell me .juan hernandez signed for leicester tigers???

go go go alleh stade alleh Paris¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

 

[ikvat]

I hope clermont will win this year, but they have a strange record which is probably unique in the world

2006 Biarritz Toulouse
2005 Biarritz Stade Français
2004 Stade Français Perpignan
2003 Stade Français Toulouse
2002 Biarritz Agen
2001 Toulouse Clermont-Auvergne
2000 Stade Français Colomiers
1999 Toulouse Clermont-Auvergne
1998 Stade Français Perpignan
1997 Toulouse Bourgoin-Jallieu
1996 Toulouse Brive
1995 Toulouse Castres
1994 Toulouse Clermont-Auvergne
1993 Castres Grenoble
1992 Toulon Biarritz
1991 Bordeaux-Bègles Toulouse
1990 Racing Club de France Agen
1989 Toulouse Toulon
1988 Agen Tarbes
1987 Toulon Racing Club de France
1986 Toulouse Agen
1985 Toulouse Toulon
1984 Béziers Agen
1983 Béziers Nice
1982 Agen Bayonne
1981 Béziers Stade Bagnèrais
1980 Béziers Toulouse
1979 Narbonne Stade Bagnèrais
1978 Béziers Clermont-Auvergne
1977 Béziers Perpignan
1976 Agen Béziers
1975 Béziers Brive
1974 Béziers Narbonne
1973 Tarbes Dax
1972 Béziers Brive
1971 Béziers Toulon
1970 La Voulte Clermont-Auvergne
1969 Bordeaux-Bègles Toulouse
1968 Lourdes Toulon
1967 Montauban Bordeaux-Bègles
1966 Agen Dax
1965 Agen Brive
1964 Pau Béziers
1963 Mont-de-Marsan Dax
1962 Agen Béziers
1961 Béziers Dax
1960 Lourdes Béziers
1959 Racing Club de France Mont-de-Marsan
1958 Lourdes SC Mazamet
1957 Lourdes Racing Club de France
1956 Lourdes Dax
1955 Perpignan Lourdes
1954 Grenoble Cognac
1953 Lourdes Mont-de-Marsan
1952 Lourdes Perpignan
1951 US Carmausine Tarbes
1950 Castres Racing Club de France
1949 Castres Mont-de-Marsan
1948 Lourdes Toulon
1947 Toulouse Agen
1946 Pau Lourdes
1945 Agen Lourdes
1944 Perpignan Bayonne
1943 Bayonne Agen
1939 Biarritz Perpignan
1938 Perpignan Biarritz
1937 Vienne Clermont-Auvergne
1936 Narbonne Clermont-Auvergne
1935 Biarritz Perpignan
1934 Bayonne Biarritz
1933 Lyon OU Narbonne
1932 Lyon OU Narbonne
1931 Toulon Lyon OU
1930 Agen Quillan
1929 Quillan Lézignan
1928 Pau Quillan
1927 Toulouse Stade Français
1926 Toulouse Perpignan
1925 Perpignan Carcassonne
1924 Toulouse Perpignan
1923 Toulouse Bayonne
1922 Toulouse Bayonne
1921 Perpignan Toulouse
1920 Tarbes Racing Club de France
1914 Perpignan Tarbes
1913 Bayonne SCUF
1912 Toulouse Racing Club de France
1911 Stade Bordelais SCUF
1910 Lyon OU Stade Bordelais
1909 Stade Bordelais Toulouse
1908 Stade Français Stade Bordelais
1907 Stade Bordelais Stade Français
1906 Stade Bordelais Stade Français
1905 Stade Bordelais Stade Français
1904 Stade Bordelais Stade Français
1903 Stade Français Stade Olympique
1902 Racing Club de France Stade Bordelais
1901 Stade Français Stade Bordelais
1900 Racing Club de France Stade Bordelais
1899 Stade Bordelais Stade Français
1898 Stade Français En poule
1897 Stade Français En poule
1896 Stade Olympique Stade Français
1895 Stade Français Stade Olympique
1894 Stade Français Inter-Nos
1892 Racing Club de France Stade Français

 

[nainbot]

i hope toulouse will win the next championnship with fresh world champion like ellisalde...

 

[Malherbe]

i agree with you, toulouse is a great club, but i want biarritz to win this season!!!

 

[M Two One]

Great discussion so far everyone. Let me start by writing that there is only one country for me in terms of rugby leagues, France! I love the Top 14, Pro D2 and Fédérale 1. I will put information on all of the teams soon if you like.

My pick for the season ***le and also major Heineken Cup contenders will be Biarritz Olympique. With their new signings, some potential signings and current star-studded roster they will easily make a run for both ***les. However, I expect Toulouse to heavily compete for the Heineken Cup this year more-so then for the Top 14. With their current roster it only seems right that they go after the biggest prize while still staying in contention for their domestic league ***le.

Stade Français should be up there in the contention, but with so many teams improving over them it is difficult to see them repeating. I predict the top six at the end of the regular season to be as:

1) Clermont-Auvergne
2) Biarritz Olympique
3) USA Perpignan
4) Stade Toulousain
5) Stade Français
6) US Dax

Many will ask, why Dax? Well, they have brought in some quality players to make room for more improvement while last season alone they could have competed with Top 14 teams ranked as high as Montauban! I also like the chances of Auch since they were so completely dominant in the Pro D2 last season, but I just see Dax slipping in over them in the standings. It will be a pleasent surprise I'm sure.

Meanwhile, CS Bourgoin-Jallieu have not signed much talent and have lost plenty such as Julien Bonnaire. This will not sit well with the team, even though I expect them to still rank within the top 10 teams.

I think that this is the year Bayonne will prove a point. They have suffered the last few seasons and this year have revamped much of the roster by so far removing 19 players and bringing in 13. As for who will drop to Pro D2 and who will move up? I expect Montpellier to finally fall to Pro D2 and they will take Albi with them. Albi were lucky not to drop before with how poor their offense was for most of the previous season. Montpellier is almost inevitable. They're escaped the bottom dread for years now.

I think that we'll see a return of Toulon and Agen next season though I won't count out Béziers, La Rochelle or even Pau. It is a shame that Kelleher did not stick with helping Agen return to the Top 14, but I understand he is coming to France to win the big prize, not help a team move up in the ranks year-by-year.