2014–15 Rugby Pro D2 season
 | This article needs to be updated. (May 2015) |
| 2014–15 Pro D2 | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  France |
| Date | 23 August 2014 – 24 May 2015[1] |
| Champions | Pau |
| Promoted | Agen |
| Relegated | Massy |
| Matches played | 112 |
| Attendance | 199,262 (average 1,779 per match) |
| Tries scored | 178 (average 1.6 per match) |
| Top point scorer | Gilles Bosch (Carcassonne) 180 points[2] |
| Top try scorer | Taleta Tupuloa (Montauban) & Rodney Davies (Biarritz) 6 tries[3] |
| Official website | |
| www | |
The 2014–15 Rugby Pro D2 was the second-level French rugby union club competition, behind the Top 14, for the 2014–15 season. It ran alongside the 2014–15 Top 14 competition; both competitions are operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). The average team salaries at the outset of the 2014–15 season were €5.97m; Biarritz and Perpignan had the highest team salaries with €11.07m.[4]
Teams
[edit]
Changes in the lineup from 2013–14 were:
- Lyon won the 2013–14 Pro D2 title and were thereby automatically promoted to the Top 14. La Rochelle won the promotion playoffs to secure the second promotion place.
- The bottom two finishers in 2013–14, Bourg-en-Bresse and Auch, were relegated from Pro D2 to Fédérale 1.
- The two bottom finishers in the 2013–14 Top 14 season, Perpignan and Biarritz Olympique, were relegated to Pro D2.
- The two finalists in Fédérale 1, champion Montauban and runner-up Massy, earned promotion.
Competition format
[edit]The top team at the end of the regular season (after all the teams played one another twice, once at home, once away), is declared champion and earns a spot in the next Top 14 season. Teams ranked second to fifth compete in promotion playoffs, with the semifinals being played at the home ground of the higher-ranked team. The final is then played on neutral ground, and the winner earns the second ticket to the next Top 14.
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,[5] 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.[6]
France's bonus point system operates as follows:[7]
- 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). This is a change from previous seasons, in which the margin was 7 points or less.
Table
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pau | 30 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 754 | 530 | +224 | 10 | 2 | 94 | Champions automatically promoted to Top 14 |
| 2 | Mont-de-Marsan | 30 | 18 | 0 | 12 | 676 | 531 | +145 | 4 | 7 | 83 | Qualified for the promotion play-offs |
| 3 | Perpignan | 30 | 17 | 1 | 12 | 744 | 615 | +129 | 7 | 5 | 82 | |
| 4 | Agen | 30 | 17 | 0 | 13 | 732 | 611 | +121 | 7 | 6 | 81 | Winner of the promotion play-offs |
| 5 | Albi | 30 | 18 | 0 | 12 | 651 | 606 | +45 | 2 | 6 | 80 | Qualified for the promotion play-offs |
| 6 | Aurillac | 30 | 16 | 2 | 12 | 650 | 579 | +71 | 6 | 3 | 77 | |
| 7 | Biarritz | 30 | 17 | 0 | 13 | 647 | 580 | +67 | 6 | 3 | 77 | |
| 8 | Colomiers | 30 | 16 | 0 | 14 | 635 | 632 | +3 | 1 | 4 | 69 | |
| 9 | Carcassonne | 30 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 688 | 706 | −18 | 2 | 4 | 66 | |
| 10 | Montauban | 30 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 627 | 638 | −11 | 5 | 5 | 64 | |
| 11 | Béziers | 30 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 620 | 655 | −35 | 2 | 5 | 63 | |
| 12 | Tarbes | 30 | 13 | 2 | 15 | 635 | 750 | −115 | 0 | 6 | 62 | |
| 13 | Bourgoin | 30 | 11 | 3 | 16 | 548 | 652 | −104 | 2 | 4 | 56 | |
| 14 | Narbonne | 30 | 11 | 1 | 18 | 604 | 746 | −142 | 1 | 3 | 50 | |
| 15 | Dax[a] | 30 | 10 | 1 | 19 | 518 | 687 | −169 | 1 | 4 | 47 | |
| 16 | Massy | 30 | 8 | 0 | 22 | 643 | 854 | −211 | 1 | 8 | 41 | Relegated to Fédérale 1 |
Notes:
- ^ Dax, which finished in 15th, was spared relegation when Fédérale 1 runner-up Lille was denied promotion.
Relegation
[edit]Previously, 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 prevent one of the two finalists in Fédérale 1 from promotion.
This season saw an example of the latter situation. Following the 2014–15 season, 15th-place Dax was spared relegation after Fédérale 1 runner-up Lille was denied promotion due to excessive debt[8] and failed in an appeal of the decision.[9]
The last instance of a team outside the bottom two places being relegated was at the end of the 2011–12 season, when 9th-place Bourgoin were relegated, thereby reprieving 15th-place Béziers.
Fixtures
[edit]The outline fixtures schedule was announced on 16 May 2014.[1][10]
Round 1
[edit]| 23 August 2014 18:30 |
| Béziers | 31 – 27 | Agen (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade de la Méditerranée Attendance: 5,560 Referee: David Rosich |
| 23 August 2014 18:30 |
| Bourgoin | 23 – 32 | Albi |
| Stats |
| Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 4,831 Referee: Adrien Descottes |
| 23 August 2014 18:30 |
| (BP) Massy | 12 – 14 | Pau |
| Stats |
| Stade Jules-Ladoumègue Attendance: 1,624 Referee: George Clancy (Ireland) |
| 23 August 2014 18:30 |
| (BP) Montauban | 30 – 13 | Carcassonne |
| Stats |
| Stade Sapiac Attendance: 5,989 Referee: Julien Castaignède |
| 23 August 2014 18:30 |
| Narbonne | 12 – 20 | Mont-de-Marsan |
| Stats |
| Parc des Sports Et de l'Amitié Attendance: 4,756 Referee: Jonathan Gasnier |
| 23 August 2014 18:30 |
| Tarbes | 28 – 22 | Dax |
| Stats |
| Stade Maurice Trélut Attendance: 3,412 Referee: Christophe Mallet |
| 24 August 2014 15:05 |
| Perpignan | 22 – 9 | Colomiers |
| Stats |
| Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 11.954 Referee: Mathieu Noirot |
| 24 August 2014 18:30 |
| Biarritz | 16 – 15 | Aurillac (BP) |
| Stats |
| Parc des Sports Aguiléra Referee: Flavien Bourquet |
Round 2
[edit]| 30 August 2014 13:10 |
| (BP) Agen | 33 – 36 | Bourgoin |
| Stats |
| Stade Armandie Attendance: 5.374 Referee: Thomas Charabas |
| 30 August 2014 18:30 |
| Béziers | 41 – 17 | Tarbes |
| Stats |
| Stade de la Méditerranée Attendance: 5,575 Referee: Stéphane Boyer |
| 30 August 2014 18:30 |
| Carcassonne | 15 – 13 | Narbonne (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade Albert Domec Attendance: 4,338 Referee: Vincent Blasco-Baqué |
| 30 August 2014 18:30 |
| Dax | 17 – 12 | Montauban (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 3,651 Referee: Cédric Clavé |
| 30 August 2014 18:30 |
| (BP) Mont-de-Marsan | 24 – 26 | Colomiers |
| Stats |
| Stade Guy Boniface Attendance: 4,249 Referee: Mourad Zitouni |
| 30 August 2014 18:30 |
| (BP) Pau | 41 – 3 | Aurillac |
| Stats |
| Stade du Hameau Attendance: 6,745 Referee: Thierry Mallet |
| 31 August 2014 15:00 |
| Perpignan | 42 – 21 | Massy |
| Stats |
| Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 10,242 Referee: Pierre Brousset |
| 31 August 2014 15:30 |
| (BP) Albi | 34 – 16 | Biarritz |
| Stats |
| Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 5,185 Referee: Tual Trainini |
Round 3
[edit]| 6 September 2014 18:00 |
| Dax | 20 – 26 | Bourgoin |
| Stats |
| Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 3,366 Referee: Laurent Millotte |
| 6 September 2014 18:30 |
| (BP) Aurillac | 25 – 9 | Montauban |
| Stats |
| Stade Jean Alric Attendance: 2,643 Referee: Mathieu Delpy |
| 6 September 2014 18:30 |
| Colomiers | 20 – 17 | Carcassonne (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade Michel Bendichou Attendance: 3,293 Referee: Nicolas Datas |
| 6 September 2014 18:30 |
| (BP) Massy | 16 – 19 | Albi |
| Stats |
| Stade Jules Ladournègue Attendance: 1,530 Referee: Thomas Charabas |
| 7 September 2014 14:00 |
| Tarbes | 16 – 15 | Perpignan (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade Maurice Trélut Attendance: 4,213 Referee: Vincent Blasco-Baqué |
| 7 September 2014 15:00 |
| Biarritz | 24 – 20 | Mont-de-Marsan (BP) |
| Stats |
| Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 6,556 Referee: Mathieu Noirot |
| 7 September 2014 15:00 |
| Narbonne | 25 – 15 | Béziers |
| Stats |
| Parc des Sports Et de l'Amitié Attendance: 8,133 Referee: Tual Trainini |
| 7 September 2014 16:45 |
| (BP) Pau | 26 – 21 | Agen (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade du Hameau Attendance: 7,538 Referee: Arnaud Blondel |
Round 4
[edit]| 13 September 2014 18:30 |
| Albi | 24 – 20 | Dax (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stadium Municipal d'Albi Attendance: 4,088 Referee: Jonathan Gasnier |
| 13 September 2014 18:30 |
| (BP) Béziers | 22 – 23 | Pau |
| Stats |
| Stade de la Méditerranée Attendance: 5,878 Referee: Flavien Hourquet |
| 13 September 2014 18:30 |
| Bourgoin | 23 – 23 | Aurillac |
| Stats |
| Stade Pierre Rajon Attendance: 5,383 Referee: Nicolas Datas |
| 13 September 2014 18:30 |
| Carcassonne | 25 – 18 | Biarritz |
| Stats |
| Stade Albert Domec Attendance: 3,011 Referee: Christophe Mallet |
| 13 September 2014 18:30 |
| Mont-de-Marsan | 25 – 22 | Massy (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade Guy Boniface Attendance: 3,683 Referee: Stéphane Boyer |
| 13 September 2014 18:30 |
| Tarbes | 44 – 30 | Colomiers |
| Stats |
| Stade Maurice Trélut Attendance: 2,938 Referee: Arnaud Blondel |
| 13 September 2014 19:00 |
| Montauban | 24 – 19 | Perpignan (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade Sapiac Attendance: 7,509 Referee: David Rosich |
| 14 September 2014 17:05 |
| (BP) Agen | 48 – 8 | Narbonne |
| Stats |
| Stade Armandie Attendance: 5,923 Referee: Adrien Descottes |
Round 5
[edit]| 20 September 2014 18:30 |
| Aurillac | 15 – 10 | Carcassonne (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade Jean Alric Attendance: 3,048 Referee: Pierre Brousset |
| 20 September 2014 18:30 |
| (BP) Colomiers | 9 – 12 | Béziers |
| Stats |
| Stade Michel Bendichou Attendance: 2,762 Referee: Thomas Charabas |
| 20 September 2014 18:30 |
| Massy | 27 – 25 | Bourgoin (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade Jules-Ladournègue Attendance: 1,625 Referee: Vincent Blasco-Baqué |
| 20 September 2014 18:30 |
| Mont-de-Marsan | 30 – 20 | Montauban |
| Stats |
| Stade Guy Boniface Attendance: 4,321 Referee: Thierry Mallet |
| 20 September 2014 18:30 |
| Narbonne | 38 – 22 | Albi |
| Stats |
| Parc des Sports Et de l'Amitié Attendance: 4,591 Referee: Cédric Clavé |
| 20 September 2014 19:00 |
| (BP) Perpignan | 32 – 16 | Agen |
| Stats |
| Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 10,275 Referee: Stéphane Boyer |
| 21 September 2014 15:05 |
| (BP) Biarritz | 52 – 10 | Tarbes |
| Stats |
| Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 5,445 Referee: Laurent Millotte |
Round 6
[edit]| 4 October 2014 17:00 |
| Béziers | 17 – 9 | Biarritz |
| Stats |
| Stade de la Méditerranée Referee: Jaco van Heerden (South Africa) |
Round 7
[edit]Round 8
[edit]| 18 October 2014 18:30 |
| Narbonne | 33 – 17 | Aurillac |
| Stats |
| Parc des Sports Et de l'Amitié Referee: Mathieu Delpy |
Round 9
[edit]| 1 November 2014 17:15 |
| Biarritz | 23 – 18 | Perpignan (BP) |
| Stats |
| Parc des Sports Aguiléra Referee: Stéphane Boyer |
Round 10
[edit]| 9 November 2014 15:00 |
| Tarbes | 26 – 16 | Mont-de-Marsan |
| Stats |
| Stade Maurice Trélut Referee: Vincent Blasco baque |
| 9 November 2014 17:00 |
| Narbonne | 10 – 19 | Colomiers |
| Stats |
| Parc des Sports Et de l'Amitié Referee: Thierry Mallet |
Round 11
[edit]| 15 November 2014 18:00 |
| (BP) Béziers | 14 – 19 | Aurillac |
| Stats |
| Stade de la Méditerranée Referee: Jerome Lamirand |
| 16 November 2014 15:05 |
| Carcassonne | 17 – 28 | Mont-de-Marsan |
| Stats |
| Stade Albert-Domec Referee: Pierre Brousset |
Round 12
[edit]| 23 November 2014 15:00 |
| Narbonne | 36 – 23 | Tarbes |
| Stats |
| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié Referee: Christophe Mallet |
Round 13
[edit]| 29 November 2014 18:30 |
| Béziers | 16 – 12 | Carcassonne (BP) |
| Stats |
| Stade de la Méditerranée Referee: Thomas Charabas |
Round 14
[edit]Weekend of 13 December 2014
Round 15
[edit]Weekend of 20 December 2014
Round 16
[edit]Weekend of 10 January 2015
Round 17
[edit]Weekend of 17 January 2015
Round 18
[edit]Weekend of 24 January 2015
Round 19
[edit]Weekend of 31 January 2015
Round 20
[edit]Weekend of 7 February 2015
Round 21
[edit]Weekend of 21 February 2015
Round 22
[edit]Weekend of 28 February 2015
Round 23
[edit]Weekend of 7 March 2015
Round 24
[edit]Weekend of 14 March 2015
Round 25
[edit]Weekend of 28 March 2015
Round 26
[edit]Weekend of 4 April 2015
Round 27
[edit]Weekend of 11 April 2015
Round 28
[edit]Weekend of 25 April 2015
Round 29
[edit]Weekend of 2 May 2015
Round 30
[edit]Weekend of 9 May 2015
Play–offs
[edit]The highest ranked team at the end of the regular season, Pau, earned automatic promotion to the Top 14 as champion de France de PRO D2 2015.
Semi–finals
[edit]The semi–finals followed a 2 v 5, 3 v 4 system, with the higher ranked team playing at home.
- Under LNR rules, if a playoff match ends level after full-time, the first tiebreaker is try count. Agen advanced with 4 tries to Perpignan's 2.
Final
[edit]The winners of the semi–finals played off for the second promotion spot to the Top 14.
| 24 May 2015 15:05 |
| Mont-de-Marsan | 15 – 16 | Agen |
| Try: Brethous 14' c Mirande 79' m Con: Saubusse 15' Pen: Saubusse 43' | Stats | Try: Paris 45' c Con: Francis (1/1) Pen: Francis (3) 21', 31', 56' |
| Stade Ernest-Wallon, Toulouse Referee: Cédric Marchat |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "CP LNR - TOP 14 et PRO D2, les calendriers 2014-2015" (in French). LNR. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
- ^ "Statistiques générales, Saison 2014-2015" (in French). Ligue nationale de rugby. Archived from the original on 2013-08-06. Retrieved 5 October 2014. Click on the tabs for "Joueurs" and "Meilleurs réalisateurs".
- ^ "Statistiques générales, Saison 2014-2015" (in French). Ligue nationale de rugby. Archived from the original on 2013-08-06. Retrieved 5 October 2014. Click on the tabs for "Joueurs" and "Meilleurs marqueurs".
- ^ "Toulouse top budget charts in Top 14 with €35m", ESPNscrum. August 19, 2014.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "La montée de Lille refusée". L'Équipe (in French). 23 June 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ "Décisions du Comité Directeur de la LNR du 21 août 2015" (PDF) (Press release) (in French). LNR. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
- ^ "Calendrier 2014/2015" (PDF) (in French). LNR. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
External links
[edit]- (in French) Ligue Nationale de Rugby – Official website
- (in French) Midi Olympique