Championship of France of Rugby Pro D2

The Championnat of France of Rugby Pro D2 is the anteroom of the elite, the Top 14.

Organization of the championship

The team classified at the head is promoted automatically to play in the Top 14, the second team promoted is designated at the conclusion of a final turn between the teams classified with 2nd in 5th places. This championship shapes in 2000, but is the continuation of the championship of “D2”, which bore multiple names. Since the year 2000, it is the National league of Rugby (LNR) which manages the test.

History

Since 2000

Since 2000, the professionalism and the tightening of the the First Division (21 clubs in 2001,16 in 2002 then 14 since 2005) contributed to the rise in the level of the championship of Pro D2. Clubs with the impressive prize list are found there such as the ACE Béziers (11 times champion of France including 10 between 1971 and 1984), the Racing subway 92 (successor of Racing club of France, 5 times champion of France of which the last time in 1990) or the RC Toulon (three times champion of which the last time in 1992). Eleven of the sixteen participants in championship 2007-208 gained at least once the championship of France of the First Division.

The means implemented are increasingly important and number of team count in their rows of former international French such as Jean-Jacques Crenca or Yann Delaigue with Toulon, Gerald Merceron with La Rochelle, Alain Penaud and Cédric Desbrosse with Lyon or Arnaud Costes with Gaillac. In 2006, Mourad Boudjellal, president of the RC Toulon, creates the event while making come Tana Umaga, ex-captain of the All Blacks, for a measuring rod of eight matches. This transfer most spectacular is then carried out in France.

Season 2007-08 is announced particularly raised. Several teams align prestigious manpower: Agen and its classified team 5th of the Signal 14 in 2006 (with François Gelez, Rupeni Caucaunibuca, Pépito Elhorga), Toulon managed by Tana Umaga and with stars of the Tri-Nations (George Gregan, Andrew Mehrtens, Victor Matfield, Anton Oliver, Lawrence Sephaka) or the Racing subway 92 with an international recruitment (David Auradou, Carlo Festuccia, Andrea Lo Cicero, Thomas Lombard, Simon Raiwalui, Franck Tournaire). The beginning of the season proves a passion of the public for this competition since the multitude at the stage is of 30% higher than that of the previous years.

Prize list since 2001

2000-01 :
2001-02 :
2002-03 :
2003-04 :
2004-05 :
2005-06 :
2006-07 :

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