2017–18 Rugby Pro D2 season
| 2017–18 Pro D2 | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  France |
| Date | 18 August 2017 – 12 May 2018 |
| Champions | Perpignan (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Grenoble |
| Promoted | Perpignan, Grenoble |
| Relegated | Narbonne, Dax |
| Matches played | 215 |
| Attendance | 1,190,778 (average 5,539 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 18,700 (final) Perpignan v Grenoble 6 May 2018 16,179 (league) Bayonne v Biarritz 14 October 2017 |
| Lowest attendance | 900 Narbonne v Massy 23 March 2018 |
| Top point scorer | (Montauban) 278 points |
| Top try scorer |  Adriu Delai (Biarritz)15 tries |
| Official website | |
| www | |
The 2017–18 Rugby Pro D2 was the second-level French rugby union club competition, behind the Top 14, for the 2017–18 season. It ran alongside the 2017–18 Top 14 competition; both competitions are operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).
Teams[]
Changes in the lineup from 2016–17 were:
- Oyonnax won the 2016–17 Pro D2 title and were thereby automatically promoted to the Top 14. Agen won the promotion playoffs to secure the second promotion place.
- The two bottom finishers in 2016–17, Bourgoin and Albi, were relegated from Pro D2 to Fédérale 1.
- The two bottom finishers in the 2016–17 Top 14 season, Bayonne and Grenoble, were relegated to Pro D2.
- Massy won the promotion group in the 2016–17 Fédérale 1 season; Nevers won the play-offs for the second promotion place. Since the 2015–16 season, the promotion process has been separate from the play-offs for the traditional Fédérale 1 championship prize, Trophée Jean-Prat.
Number of teams by regions[]
| Teams | Region or country | Team(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 |  Occitanie |
Béziers, Carcassonne, Colomiers, Montauban, Narbonne, and Perpignan |
| 5 |  Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
Bayonne, Biarritz, Dax, Mont-de-Marsan, and Soyaux Angoulême |
| 2 |  Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
Aurillac and Grenoble |
| 1 |  Bourgogne-Franche-Comté |
Nevers |
 Brittany |
Vannes | |
 Île-de-France |
Massy |
Competition format[]
The regular season uses a double round-robin format, in which each team plays the others home and away.
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:[3]
- 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 less). The required margin had been 7 points or less until being changed in advance of the 2014–15 season.
Starting with the 2017–18 season, Pro D2 conducts a play-off system identical to the one currently used in Top 14, with the top six teams qualifying for the play-offs and the top two teams receiving byes into the semi-finals. The winner of the play-offs earns the league championship and automatic promotion to the next season's Top 14; the runner-up enters a play-off with the second-from-bottom Top 14 team, with the winner of that play-off taking up the final place in Top 14.[4]
This replaced the previous system in which the top team at the end of the regular season was declared champion, also earning a Top 14 place, while the second- through fifth-place teams competed in promotion play-offs. The play-off semi-finals were played at the home ground of the higher-ranked team. The final was then played on neutral ground, and the winner earned the second ticket to the next Top 14.
Promotion[]
Pro D2 to Top 14[]
As noted above, both promotion places will be determined by play-offs from 2017–18 forward, with the winner of the Pro D2 play-offs earning promotion and the runner-up playing the second-from-bottom Top 14 team for the next season's final Top 14 place.
Fédérale 1 to Pro D2[]
At the same time, LNR and the French Rugby Federation (FFR) will change the promotion process from Fédérale 1 to Pro D2. For three seasons (2017–18 to 2019–20), only one team will be promoted to Pro D2 through the Fédérale 1 competition. The second promotion place will be a "wild card" granted by LNR to a club that meets the following criteria:[4]
- must be located in northern France (with the dividing line running approximately from La Rochelle to Lyon)
- have a long-term development plan
- location in an area that can demographically and economically support a fully professional club
Starting with the 2020–21 season, LNR will create a third professional league, slotting between Pro D2 and Fédérale 1 in the league system.[4]
Relegation[]
Normally, the teams that finish in 15th and 16th places in the table are relegated to Fédérale 1 at the end of the season. In certain circumstances, "financial reasons" may cause a higher-placed team to be demoted instead, or bar a Fédérale 1 team from promotion.
Table[]
The current table for the 2017–18 Rugby Pro D2 is:[5]
| |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Club | Pl | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | ||||||
| 1 | Perpignan (C) | 30 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 919 | 571 | +348 | 12 | 2 | 97 | ||||||
| 2 | Montauban | 30 | 20 | 2 | 8 | 679 | 546 | +133 | 4 | 4 | 92 | ||||||
| 3 | Grenoble (P) | 30 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 775 | 667 | +108 | 4 | 2 | 88 | ||||||
| 4 | Mont-de-Marsan | 30 | 17 | 0 | 13 | 753 | 540 | +213 | 12 | 5 | 84 | ||||||
| 5 | Béziers | 30 | 19 | 1 | 10 | 756 | 670 | +86 | 4 | 2 | 84 | ||||||
| 6 | Biarritz | 30 | 17 | 0 | 13 | 789 | 694 | +95 | 7 | 5 | 80 | ||||||
| 7 | Nevers | 30 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 656 | 580 | +76 | 6 | 3 | 69 | ||||||
| 8 | Bayonne | 30 | 14 | 1 | 15 | 732 | 764 | –32 | 5 | 6 | 69 | ||||||
| 9 | Colomiers | 30 | 14 | 1 | 15 | 637 | 678 | –41 | 6 | 5 | 69 | ||||||
| 10 | Vannes | 30 | 12 | 0 | 18 | 721 | 739 | –18 | 6 | 8 | 62 | ||||||
| 11 | Aurillac | 30 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 641 | 716 | –75 | 2 | 5 | 61 | ||||||
| 12 | Massy | 30 | 13 | 0 | 17 | 633 | 682 | –49 | 2 | 5 | 59 | ||||||
| 13 | Soyaux Angoulême | 30 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 592 | 661 | –69 | 2 | 3 | 59 | ||||||
| 14 | Carcassonne | 30 | 11 | 0 | 19 | 585 | 767 | –182 | 4 | 5 | 53 | ||||||
| 15 | Dax | 30 | 9 | 1 | 20 | 602 | 767 | –165 | 2 | 6 | 46 | ||||||
| 16 | Narbonne | 30 | 7 | 2 | 21 | 547 | 975 | –428 | 2 | 1 | 35 | ||||||
| Legend: Pos = Position, Pl = Played, W = Won, D = Drawn, L = Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Points Total Green background (rows 1 and 2) receive semi-final Promotion play-off places. Blue background (rows 3 to 6) receive quarter-final Promotion play-off places. Yellow background denotes winner of the promotion play-off final. Red background relegation to Fédérale 1. Notes: When two teams have the same points total, position is determined by head-to-head results before points difference. | |||||||||||||||||
Fixtures & Results[]
Round 1[]
Round 2[]
Round 3[]
Round 4[]
10 September 2017
14:15 |
| Carcassonne | 19–29 | Perpignan |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Albert-Domec
Attendance: 5,000 Referee: |
Round 5[]
15 September 2017
20:00 |
| (1 BP) Colomiers | 26–6 | Soyaux Angoulême |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Michel-Bendichou
Attendance: 2,700 Referee: |
Round 6[]
Round 7[]
Round 8[]
Round 9[]
Round 10[]
27 October 2017
20:00 |
| (1 BP) Bayonne | 41–12 | Soyaux Angoulême |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Jean-Dauger
Attendance: 8,523 Referee: |
Round 11[]
3 November 2017
20:00 |
| (1 BP) Carcassonne | 18–23 | Grenoble |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Albert-Domec
Attendance: 2,500 Referee: |
Round 12[]
Round 13[]
Round 14[]
Round 15[]
Round 16[]
Round 17[]
Round 18[]
Round 19[]
Round 20[]
Round 21[]
26 January 2018
20:30 |
| Carcassonne | 24–13 | Soyaux Angoulême |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Albert-Domec
Attendance: 2,200 Referee: |
26 January 2018
20:30 |
| Colomiers | 18–13 | Aurillac (1 BP) |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Michel-Bendichou
Attendance: 2,600 Referee: Luc Ramos |
Round 22[]
Round 23[]
16 February 2018
20:00 |
| Bayonne | 26–22 | Aurillac (1 BP) |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Jean-Dauger
Attendance: 7,117 Referee: |
16 February 2018
20:00 |
| (1 BP) Carcassonne | 35–29 | Colomiers (1 BP) |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Albert-Domec
Attendance: 2,500 Referee: |
16 February 2018
20:00 |
| (1 BP) Dax | 23–28 | Soyaux Angoulême |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Maurice-Boyau
Attendance: 3,500 Referee: |
Round 24[]
23 February 2018
19:00 |
| (1 BP) Bayonne | 52–26 | Carcassonne (1 BP) |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Jean-Dauger
Attendance: 8,921 Referee: |
25 February 2018
14:15 |
| Colomiers | 13–26 | Béziers |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Michel-Bendichou
Attendance: 3,800 Referee: |
Round 25[]
2 March 2018
20:00 |
| (1 BP) Carcassonne | 40–14 | Aurillac |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Albert-Domec
Attendance: 2,000 Referee: |
Round 26[]
Round 27[]
Round 28[]
23 March 2018
20:00 |
| Colomiers | 22–17 | Biarritz (1 BP) |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Michel-Bendichou
Attendance: 5,000 Referee: |
Round 29[]
Round 30[]
15 April 2018
14:30 |
| (1 BP) Colomiers | 49–24 | Massy (1 BP) |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Michel-Bendichou
Attendance: 4,500 Referee: |
15 April 2018
14:30 |
| (1 BP) Dax | 34–28 | Vannes (2 BP) |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Stade Maurice-Boyau
Attendance: 3,900 Referee: |
Promotion Playoffs[]
Semi-final Qualifiers[]
Semi-finals[]
Final[]
Relegation playoff[]
The team finishing in 13th place of the Top 14 faces the runner-up of Pro D2, with the winner of this match playing in Top 14 in 2018–19 and the loser in Pro D2.
12 May 2018
14:45 |
| Grenoble | 47–22 | Oyonnax |
|---|---|---|
| Try: Visinia (2) 8' c, 68' c Mélé 11' c Oz 33' c Taumalolo 38' c 65' m 77' c Con: Mélé (4/4) 9', 11', 34', 39' (1/2) 69' Francis (1/1) 78' |
Report | Try: (2) 21' c, 51' c Müller 80+1' m Con: Botica (2/2) 22', 52' Pen: Botica (1/1) 15' |
Attendances[]
- Attendances do not include the final as this is held at a neutral venue. Also does not include the relegation playoff game.
| Club | Home Games |
Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurillac | 15 | 37,836 | 2,522 | 4,500 | 1,200 | 28% |
| Bayonne | 15 | 127,734 | 8,516 | 16,179 | 7,000 | 50% |
| Béziers | 15 | 91,398 | 6,093 | 10,300 | 4,500 | 33% |
| Biarritz | 15 | 84,616 | 5,641 | 11,500 | 4,200 | 38% |
| Carcassonne | 15 | 45,100 | 3,007 | 8,000 | 1,500 | 30% |
| Colomiers | 15 | 55,250 | 3,683 | 6,100 | 2,200 | 32% |
| Dax | 15 | 60,409 | 4,027 | 6,599 | 3,010 | 25% |
| Grenoble[a 2] | 16 | 138,055 | 8,628 | 12,000 | 6,000 | 43% |
| Massy | 15 | 30,131 | 2,009 | 3,000 | 1,306 | 63% |
| Mont-de-Marsan[a 3] | 16 | 96,379 | 6,024 | 9,000 | 4,122 | 27% |
| Montauban[a 4] | 16 | 91,588 | 5,724 | 9,500 | 3,800 | 45% |
| Narbonne | 15 | 61,858 | 4,124 | 8,000 | 900 | 34% |
| Nevers | 15 | 94,758 | 6,317 | 7,500 | 4,896 | 84% |
| Perpignan[a 5] | 16 | 148,097 | 9,256 | 14,466 | 7,356 | 56% |
| Soyaux Angoulême | 15 | 62,400 | 4,160 | 6,000 | 3,000 | 69% |
| Vannes | 15 | 112,039 | 7,469 | 9,162 | 6,216 | 79% |
Leading scorers[]
Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.
Top points scorers[]
|
Top try scorers[]
|
See also[]
Notes[]
- ^ Press reports in France do not give an attendance figure for the game between Massy and Narbonne on 2 March 2018 despite there being spectators present. However, the figure of 1,840 has been worked out from Massy's average attendance figure given around 20 March 2018 of 1,938 - this average has changed since 20 March as Massy had one more home game.[30]
- ^ Grenoble's attendance figure includes home promotion play-off game.
- ^ Mont-de-Marsan's attendance figure includes home promotion play-off game.
- ^ Montauban's attendance figure includes home promotion play-off game.
- ^ Perpignan's attendance figures includes home promotion play-off game.
References[]
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Article 330, Section 3.2. Points "terrain" et points de bonus" (PDF). Statuts et Reglements de la Ligue Nationale de Rugby 2014/2015, Chapitre 2 : Règlement sportif des championnats profesionnels (in French). Ligue Nationale de Rugby. p. 166. Retrieved 2014-08-26.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Mortimer, Gavin (18 August 2016). "French rugby enjoys a popularity boom as it looks to the future". Rugby World. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
- ^ "Classement PRO D2". Ligue Nationale de Rugby (in French). Retrieved 10 May 2017.
- ^ "1ère journée". L'Equipe. 20 August 2017.
- ^ "2e journée". L'Equipe. 27 August 2017.
- ^ "3e journée". L'Equipe. 3 September 2017.
- ^ "4e journée". L'Equipe. 10 September 2017.
- ^ "5e journée". L'Equipe. 17 September 2017.
- ^ "6e journée". L'Equipe. 24 September 2017.
- ^ "7e journée". L'Equipe. 8 October 2017.
- ^ "8e journée". L'Equipe. 15 October 2017.
- ^ "9e journée". L'Equipe. 22 October 2017.
- ^ "10e journée". L'Equipe. 29 October 2017.
- ^ "11e journée". L'Equipe. 5 November 2017.
- ^ "12e journée". L'Equipe. 12 November 2017.
- ^ "13e journée". L'Equipe. 24 November 2017.
- ^ "14e journée". L'Equipe. 3 December 2017.
- ^ "15e journée". L'Equipe. 10 December 2017.
- ^ "16e journée". L'Equipe. 17 December 2017.
- ^ "17e journée". L'Equipe. 22 December 2017.
- ^ "18e journée". L'Equipe. 7 January 2018.
- ^ "19e journée". L'Equipe. 14 January 2018.
- ^ "20e journée". L'Equipe. 21 January 2018.
- ^ "21e journée". L'Equipe. 28 January 2018.
- ^ "22e journée". L'Equipe. 4 February 2018.
- ^ "23e journée". L'Equipe. 17 February 2018.
- ^ "24e journée". L'Equipe. 25 February 2018.
- ^ "Taux remplissage prod2". FC Grenoble. 20 March 2018.
- ^ "25e journée". L'Equipe. 4 March 2018.
- ^ "26e journée". L'Equipe. 11 March 2018.
- ^ "27e journée". L'Equipe. 18 March 2018.
- ^ "28e journée". L'Equipe. 25 March 2018.
- ^ "29e journée". L'Equipe. 8 April 2018.
- ^ "30e journée". L'Equipe. 15 April 2018.
- ^ "Pro D2 2017-2018 : Mont-de-marsan - Béziers". L'Equipe. 21 April 2018. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018.
- ^ "Pro D2 2017-2018 : Grenoble - Biarritz (33-26)". L'Equipe. 21 April 2018. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018.
- ^ "Pro D2 2017-2018 : Montauban - Grenoble (15-22)". L'Equipe. 28 April 2018. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018.
- ^ "Pro D2 2017-2018 : Perpignan - Mont-de-marsan (28-8)". L'Equipe. 29 April 2018. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018.
- ^ "Pro D2 2017-2018 : Perpignan - Grenoble (38-13)". L'Equipe. 6 May 2018. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018.
- ^ "Grenoble 47 22 Oyonnax". Midi Libre. 12 May 2018. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "RUGBY PRO D2 : STATISTIQUES DÉTAILLÉES". Ligue Nationale de Rugby. 6 May 2018.
External links[]
- (in French) Ligue Nationale de Rugby – Official website
- (in French) Midi Olympique
- Rugby Pro D2 seasons
- 2017–18 in French rugby union leagues