Top 14 Final in Spain
It is, including Tests, the biggest rugby match of the French year. Normally it is played at Stade de France in Paris, but, because of a clash with UEFA's soccer cup and because no other stadium in France will be big enough, this time it will be in Barcelona, the first time ever in a foreign country.
The ground is Camp Nou, built in 1957 and the biggest stadium in Europe, seating just under 100 000. It is the home ground of FC Barcelona, which, by the way, also has a rugby section, much humbler than the grand soccer section.
A big stadium is necessary if the spectators are to flock to Camp Nou as they have flocked to Stade de France this century. The smallest there was 77 000 in 2011, the biggest 80 174 in 2014
The final is between Toulon and Racing 92. Toulon is closer to Barcelona than Parisian Racing but the rapid TGV races under the Pyrenees to Barcelona, and for the French the final of the Championnat is lots of passionate fun.
They are both old clubs – Racing Club de France founded in 1882, Rugby Club de Toulon in 1908. Racing have won the championship five times, Toulon four times. They have met once before in a final – in 1987 when Toulon beat Racing 15-12. The last time Racing were in a final was in 1990 whereas Toulon were losing finalists in 2013 and winners in 2014.
Recent results suggest that this final, on neutral ground, will be a close affair. This season Racing beat Toulon 19-16 and Toulon beat Racing 21-20. Toulon finished second to Clermont with 76 log points while Racing were fourth with 73 log points. In the semifinals Racing beat Clermont and Toulon beat Montpellier.
Both teams have players of note, both with notable foreigners.
For a start Racing have the genius of New Zealander Daniel Carter while Toulon have the genius of Australian Matt Giteau.
Toulon's captain is Springbok Juan Smith and he has two Springboks with him in Brian Habana and Juandré Kruger. Apart from Giteau there are three Wallabies – Quade Cooper, Drew Mitchell, and James O'Connor. Their goal-kicker is Leigh Halfpenny, a Welshman, and two Englishmen are also available – Steffon Armitage and Matt Stevens. Then there are Ma'a Nonu of New Zealand, Puma Juan Martín Fernandez Lobbe, two Fijians and a Scot in the Foreign Legion that owner Mourad Boudjellal has gathered for coach Bernard Laporte. And now Japanese fullback Ayumu Goromaru has joined the club.
Racing is not as foreigner dominated but has Springboks Frans van der Merwe and Johan Goossen, All Blacks Ali Williams, Chris Masoe, Casey Laulala and Joe Rokocoko plus massive Ben Tameifuna, Pumas Manuel Carriza and wing Juan Imoff, Samoan Viliamu Afatia and Georgian prop Davit Khinchagishvili. In addition it has two South Africans who have played for France – Bernard le Roux of Moorreesburg and Antonie Classen, son of Wynand.
Of course, both clubs have excellent French players to call on such as Dimitri Szarzewsk, Eddy Ben Arous and Luc Ducalcon, Wenceslas Lauret, Yannick Nyanga, Maxime Machenaud, Henry Chavancy, Marc Andreu, Terry Tomas and will-'o-the-wisp Brice Dulin for Racing and for Toulon Guilhem Guirado, Jocelino Suta, Sébastien Tillous-Borde, Mathieu Bastareaud and Maxime Mermoz.
It is a top-class match and not one to try to predict.
The prize – honour and glory and the Bouclier de Brennus, which has an interesting history of its own.
The teams will be included when they become available.
Date: Friday, 24 June 2016
Kick-off: 20.45 (local)
Venue: Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain
Expected weather: Clear with a high of 26°C, dropping to 19°C – a lovely evening for rugby in a great stadium in an interesting city.
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
Assistant referees: Romain Poite, Cyril Lafon
Television match official: Vincent Azoulay
Championnat Finals Down the Years
1892: Racing Club de France vs Stade Français, 4-3
1893: Stade Français vs Racing Club de France, 7-3
1894: Stade Français vs Inter-Nos, 18-0
1895: Stade Français vs Olympique, 16-0
1896: Olympique vs Stade Français, 12-0
1899: Stade Bordelais (Université Club) vs Stade Français, 5-3
1900: Racing Club de France vs Stade Bordelais, 37-3
1901: Stade Bordelais vs Stade Français, 3-0
1902: Racing Club de France vs Stade Bordelais, 6-0
1903: Stade Français vs Toulouse, 16-8
1904: Stade Bordelais vs Stade Français, 3-0
1905: Stade Bordelais vs Stade Français, 12-3
1906: Stade Bordelais vs Stade Français, 9-0
1907: Stade Bordelais vs Stade Français, 14-3
1908: Stade Français vs Stade Bordelais, 16-3
1909: Stade Bordelais vs Toulouse, 17-0
1910: Lyon vs Stade Bordelais, 13-8
1911: Stade Bordelais vs Sporting Club Universitaire de France, 14-0
1912: Toulouse vs Racing Club de France, 8-6
1913: Bayonne vs SCUF, 31-8
1914: Perpignan vs Tarbes, 8-7
1920: Tarbes vs Racing Club de France 8-3
1921: Perpignan vs Toulouse, 5-0
1922: Toulouse vs Bayonne, 6-0
1923: Toulouse vs Bayonne, 3-0
1924: Toulouse vs Perpignan, 3-0
1925: Perpignan vs Carcassonne, 0-0 after extra time. The match was replayed.
Perpignan vs Carcassonne, 5-0
1926: Toulouse vs Perpignan, 11-0
1927: Toulouse vs Stade Français, 19-9
1928: Pau vs Quillan, 6-4
1929: Quillan vs Lezignanais, 11-8
1930: Agen vs Quillan, 4-0
1931: Toulouse vs Lyon, 6-3
1932: Lyon vs Narbonne, 9-3
1933: Lyon vs Narbonne, 10-3
1934: Bayonne vs Biarritz, 13-8
1935: Biarritz vs Perpignan, 3-0
1936: Narbonne vs Montferrand, 6-3
1937: Vienne vs Montferrand, 13-7
1938: Perpignan vs Biarritz, 11-6
1939: Biarritz vs Perpignan, 6-0
1943: Bayonne vs Agen, 3-0
1944: Perpignan vs Bayonne, 20-5
1945: Agen vs Lourdes, 7-3
1946: Pau vs Lourdes, 11-0
1947: Toulouse vs Agen, 10-3
1948: Lourdes vs Toulouse, 11-3
1949: Castres vs Noontide, 3-3 after extra time. The match was replayed.
Castres vs Noontide, 14-3
1950: Castres vs Racing Club de France, 11-8
1951: Carmaux vs Tarbes, 14-12
1952: Lourdes vs Perpignan, 20-11
1953: Lourdes vs Noontide, 21-16
1954: Grenoble vs Cognac, 5-3
1955: Perpignan vs Lourdes, 11-6
1956: Lourdes vs Dax, 20-0
1957: Lourdes vs Racing Club de France, 16-13
1958: Lourdes vs Mazametain, 25-8
1959: Racing Club de France vs Noontide, 8-3
1960: Lourdes vs Béziers, 14-11
1961: Béziers vs Dax, 6-3
1962: Agen vs Béziers, 14-11
1963: Noontide vs Dax, 9-6
1964: Pau vs Béziers, 14-0
1965: Agen vs Brive, 15-8
1966: Agen vs Dax, 9-8
1967: Montauban vs Bègles, 11-3
1968: Lourdes vs Toulon, 9-9 after extra time. Lourdes declared winners , scoring two tries to nil.
1969: Bègles vs Toulon, 11-9
1970: La Voulte Sportif vs Montferrand, 3-0
1971: Béziers, vs Toulon, 15-9
1972: Béziers vs Brive, 9-0
1973: Tarbes vs Dax, 18-12
1974: Béziers vs Narbonne, 16-14
1975: Béziers vs Brive, 13-12
1976: Agen vs Béziers, 13-10
1977: Béziers vs Perpignan, 12-4
1978: Béziers vs Montferrand, 31-9
1979: Narbonne vs Stade Bagnerais, 10-0
1980: Béziers vs Toulouse, 10-6
1981: Béziers vs Stade Bagnerais, 22-13
1982: Agen vs Bayonne, 18-9
1983: Béziers vs Nice, 14-6
1984: Béziers vs Agen, 21-21 after extra time. Béziers won by scoring three tries to one.
1985: Toulouse vs Toulon, 36-22 after extra time
1986: Toulouse vs Agen, 16-6
1987: Toulon vs Racing Club de France, 15-12
1988: Agen vs Tarbes, 9-3
1989: Toulouse vs Toulon, 18-12
1990: Racing Club de France vs Agen, 22-12
1991: Bordeaux-Bordeaux vs Toulouse, 19-10
1992: Toulon vs Biarritz, 19-14
1993: Castres vs Grenoble, 14-11
1994: Toulouse vs Montferrand, 22-16
1995: Toulouse vs Castres, 31-16
1996: Toulouse vs Brive, 20-13
1997: Toulouse vs Bourgoin, 12-6
1998: Stade Français vs Perpignan, 34-7
1999: Toulouse vs Montferrand, 15-11
2000: Stade Français vs Colomiers, 28-23
2001: Toulouse vs Montferrand, 34-22
2002: Biarritz vs Agen, 29-26 after extra time.
2003: Stade Français vs Toulouse, 32-18
2004: Stade Français vs Perpignan, 38-20
2005: Biarritz vs Stade Français, 37-34 after extra time
2006: Biarritz vs Toulouse, 40-13
2007: Stade Français vs Clermont, 23-18
2008: Toulouse vs Clermont, 26-20
2009: Perpignan vs Clermont, 22-13
2010: Clermont vs Perpignan, 19-6
2011: Toulouse vs Montpellier, 15-10
2012: Toulouse vs Toulon, 18-12
2013: Castres vs Toulon, 19-14
2014: Toulon vs Castres, 18-10
2015: Stade Français vs Clermont, 12-6
