315:
415:(Federation of Amateur Rugby) was founded by Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Catalonia (Spain), and Sweden. During the second World War, the French Rugby Union actively collaborated with the Vichy Regime to have Rugby League banned. In so doing, the Rugby Union were handed all of the vast assets built up by the French Rugby League since 1934. As of 2023, these assets have not been returned to the Rugby League. In 1939, France was re-invited to participate in the following year's Home Nations tournament, but the onset of the Second World War put all international rugby on hold. The first post-war Five Nations championship took place in 1947, and was the first top-level rugby tournament France had played in since 1931.
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annual promotion places from Fédérale 1 to Pro D2 will be reserved for a northern club (defined as north of a line running roughly from La
Rochelle to Lyon) starting with the 2017–18 season and ending in 2019–20. Each chosen club will receive €800,000 from LNR to assist them in the transition to professional rugby.
1217:
also launched in 2014–15 as the replacement for the
European Challenge Cup. The original Challenge Cup began the year after the Heineken Cup. Currently, all Top 14 teams that do not qualify for the Champions Cup compete in the Challenge Cup. The first four editions of the original Challenge Cup were
1159:
Long-term plans call for LNR to establish a third professional league below Pro D2 starting with the 2020–21 season. The build-up to the establishment of this league will see a major LNR initiative to encourage the development of professional clubs in the country's north. To this end, one of the two
418:
In 1978, the FFR joined what is now known as World Rugby. Also in 1959, the national team won the Five
Nations for the first time, and subsequently won another consecutive three championships (1960 was shared with England). This success was repeated at the end of the 1960s, when France won both the
1364:
The facility covers 20 hectares (49 acres) and includes five rugby pitches (one of them covered, and two floodlit), a gym, medical facilities, a swimming pool, media centre, and library. Living quarters are also included, with 30 rooms which are each named after a championship winning French club.
499:(formerly, the Top 16). The Top 14 is played on a home and away basis between the top fourteen club sides in France, followed by three rounds of playoffs involving the top six teams on the league table. The first championship was contested in 1892 and won by the Racing Club, predecessor to today's
455:
In 2010, the all-French final of the
Heineken Cup between Toulouse and Biarritz in the Stade de France received 3.2 million viewers on France 2. In 2011, the final of the Top 14 gathered 4.4 million viewers on France 2 and Canal+ and the World Cup final between New Zealand and France gathered 15.4
1188:
is Europe's current top-level club competition, an annual affair involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the Six
Nations: England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. It replaced the previous top-tier competition, the Heineken Cup (known in France as the H Cup due to
400:, though this time, in what is considered one of the most surprising results in rugby history, France fumbled in the gold medal match, being defeated at the hands of the United States, eight points to nil. That same year, the FFR was officially formed. France again participated in rugby at the
1196:
The
Heineken Cup was launched during the European summer of 1995 by the (then) Five Nations Committee, following the advent of professional rugby union. The tournament was born with the intention of providing a new level of professional European competition. The French clubs have been quite
1253:, which ran from 2002–03 to 2004–05, was a repechage competition that involved first-round losers in the original Challenge Cup. It was scrapped when the European Challenge Cup was revamped for the 2005–06 season. This trophy was claimed by a French club in each of its three seasons—
251:
France, with 65 million people, is the world's most populous country in which rugby union has a large and dedicated following. That is more than the populations of other popular rugby nations such as New
Zealand, Australia, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales combined.
302:. In 1995, the same year that rugby union became a fully professional sport, FIRA officially recognised the IRFB as the worldwide governing authority for the sport and turned itself into an exclusively European governing body. FIRA adopted its current name of
426:
was held in 1987. After a low period in the mid-1990s caused by FFR's hesitation to join in the introduction of professional rugby in 1995, the national team has regained its top-tier status. In 1998, France's women's team competed at the first official
266:
Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR) is the rugby union governing body in France; they are responsible for the governing of rugby union in France, including the France national team and the organisers of the country's professional competitions,
389:. France entered a team, along with Germany and Great Britain. France won the gold medal, the first ever rugby event at the Olympics. In 1905, for the first time, England and France played each other. In 1910, France coined the term
274:
In 1934 the FFR set up the
Federation Internationale de Rugby Amateur (FIRA) in an attempt to organize rugby union outside the authority of the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB). It included the national teams of
1209:
were champions in the final two editions of the
Heineken Cup in 2013 and 2014, and the first edition of the Champions Cup in 2015, making them the first team ever to win three consecutive European championships.
1632:
212:
was first introduced in the early 1870s by
British residents, which makes the country one of the few early exponents of the sport. Elite French clubs participate in the professional domestic club league, the
451:
can be viewed as the leading code. There are 1,737 clubs in France and the number of licensed players has significantly increased over the recent years, reaching 390,000 in 2010 (up from 260,000 in 2000).
367:
1149:
1365:
The living quarters also have a dedicated restaurant. France's under-19 team are permanently based at CNR, and provide regular opposition for the France national team during training.
553:, which won the Fédérale 1 promotion playoffs. Fédérale 1, which involves 41 clubs, is the top level of an extensive system of Fédérale leagues that includes nearly 300 clubs in all.
314:
602:
393:, though they had competed in the home nations tournament four times previously, the tournament would be known as the Five Nations for most of the rest of the 20th century.
1640:
1193:
and French club teams, but eventually the other four nations joined in the new structure, and the Champions Cup instead became the replacement for the Heineken Cup.
2286:
1950:
1317:, in 1999. France have appeared in the semi-finals at every tournament except for 1991, 2015, 2019 and 2023 where they were knocked out in the quarter-final stage.
2044:
2228:
2039:
1683:
333:
556:
As the map below shows the vast majority of Top 14 and D2 clubs are located in the southern half of France. For 2019–20, the only exceptions to this are:
2023:
2018:
419:
1967 and 1968 championships, the 1968 being a Grand Slam. France has nearly always been in the top three teams of the Northern Hemisphere since then.
1918:
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2013:
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victorious the next year. Toulouse became the first team to win the competition more than twice, becoming champions again in 2003, 2005, and 2010.
1923:
1800:
1283:. The French style of play, nicknamed the "French flair," is renowned for its paradoxical combination of rugged physicality and inspired grace.
2233:
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The French rugby union was ousted from the Five Nations championship on charges of player violence and professionalism in 1932. In 1934,
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In 1978, the FFR became a member of the IRFB, known from 1998 to 2014 as the International Rugby Board (IRB) and since November 2014 as
280:
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2003:
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organised the first ever French rugby union championship, a one-off game between Racing and Stade Français. The game was refereed by
354:
The English Taylors RFC, which was formed by British businessmen in Paris in 1877, was followed by Paris Football Club a year later.
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2008:
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1998:
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404:– the last time 15-player rugby would be played as an Olympic sport – where the United States successfully defended their title.
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games, as well as France's home internationals, such as those that are played during the latter stages of the year in November.
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alcohol advertising laws), effective in 2014–15. The Champions Cup was originally envisioned as a breakaway competition by
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was introduced to France, half a century after the amateur code had established itself in the country. Also in 1934,
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and saw Racing win 4–3. The USFSA remained the main controlling body of French rugby, until the formation of the
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in 2000. Since then, French sides have made the finals 11 more times, with Clermont winning in 2007,
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245:
241:
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A relegation system exists between the two tiers of competition. At the end of the 2017–18 season,
371:
1788:
Couret, Jean-Paul (19 November 2002). "All Blacks are not dangerous, says French coach". Reuters.
1709:
1399:, which also broadcasts many other rugby union competitions, including the Southern Hemisphere's
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689:
322:
240:
since its inception in 1987, and has been a runner-up on three occasions. France also hosted the
93:
80:
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successful in the tournament under both of its identities. The inaugural competition was won by
17:
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1243:
1190:
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was promoted to the Top 14 as promotion play-off champions of Pro D2, while losing finalists
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447:
Rugby union is more popular in the South of France, whilst in the North of the country,
1350:
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995:
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Two clubs in the Paris area—Stade Français (playing in the city proper) and Racing 92 (
456:
million viewers on TF1, the highest audience on French TV since the start of the year.
344:
329:
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537:, the top level of the French amateur rugby system. At the end of the 2018–19 season,
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which was held in the Netherlands. In 2003, France was awarded the right to host the
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who won the 2018–19 Fédérale 1 title and were thereby automatically promoted and
1609:
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340:
299:
209:
1833:
Couret, Jean-Paul (8 November 2002). "French players enjoy new home". Reuters.
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236:, last winning the competition in 2022. France has participated in every
111:
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1902:
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490:
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180:
511:, featuring 16 teams that also play a home-and-away regular season.
1324:
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313:
1761:"French rugby enjoys a popularity boom as it looks to the future"
1910:
1354:
217:. Clubs also compete in the European knock-out competition, the
2268:
1932:
1372:
pool stages and for the lesser matches in the knockout stage.
339:
It was in 1872 that a group of British residents formed the
522:
won a second play-off against the 13th placed Top 14 side
343:, which played a hybrid form of football, a cross between
1684:"31,5% of Market Share, the success of rugby on France 2"
533:
Promotion and relegation also exist between Pro D2 and
1894:
1357:
68 million, c.2007), and is located in the village of
530:
and play-off losers Oyonnax were relegated to Pro D2.
495:
The major national club competition in France is the
1395:
are broadcast by the premium pay television channel
2618:
2580:
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2221:
2179:
2116:
2080:
2073:
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1991:
1984:
1968:
368:
Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques
163:
135:
127:
117:
104:
68:
56:
44:
36:
31:
1153:Locations of the 2019–20 Top 14 & Pro D2 teams
1602:"French Rugby League – Still Awaiting An Apology"
1238:defeating Toulon in an all-French final in 2012,
526:to join them. At the bottom of the Top 14 table,
1828:
1826:
1491:A Game for Hooligans: The History of Rugby Union
1279:(The Blues), is a top tier nation, as cited by
2280:
1944:
1783:
1781:
8:
1345:or CNR) was opened by then French president
507:. The second major competition in France is
1297:, they have appeared in the final match in
2287:
2273:
2265:
2077:
1988:
1951:
1937:
1929:
1329:France's National Rugby Centre located in
1230:(then known as Montferrand) in 1999, and
1924:100 years of French Test rugby: part two
1919:100 years of French Test rugby: part one
1663:"Statistiques – Données détaillées 2011"
1515:
1710:"Top 14 final reach records on Canal+"
1059:
861:
545:were relegated; they were replaced by
28:
1550:"Historical Rugby Milestones – 1870s"
1368:CNR Marcoussis was the venue for the
7:
1524:"International Rugby Board - FRANCE"
1349:in November 2002. The facility cost
358:was formed in 1882 and their rivals
1448:List of rugby union clubs in France
1293:Although France have never won the
897:
825:
735:
1845:"Home | Rugby World Cup 2021"
1759:Mortimer, Gavin (18 August 2016).
1631:Borthwick, Ian (31 January 2005).
1576:"R.C. France 4 – Stade Français 3"
1257:in 2003, Montpellier in 2004, and
435:, and the country also hosted the
332:was introduced into France by the
25:
1735:"Sport, champion of TV audiences"
969:
879:
789:
385:In 1900, rugby was played at the
1801:"Bord Bia launch lamb promotion"
1313:, in 1987 and 2011, and once to
1271:France national rugby union team
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1112:
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18:History of rugby union in France
1113:
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2134:National Rugby League (France)
1337:The National Rugby Centre (in
1131:
1077:
1041:
1005:
915:
487:National Rugby League (France)
396:Rugby was again played at the
1:
1976:Fédération Française de Rugby
1023:
717:
380:Fédération Française de Rugby
2199:2014 Women's Rugby World Cup
2129:European Rugby Challenge Cup
2124:European Rugby Champions Cup
1370:2014 Women's Rugby World Cup
1215:European Rugby Challenge Cup
1186:European Rugby Champions Cup
1176:European Rugby Challenge Cup
1170:European Rugby Champions Cup
843:
609:
503:. The current champions are
437:2014 Women's Rugby World Cup
219:European Rugby Champions Cup
177:European Rugby Challenge Cup
173:European Rugby Champions Cup
1865:(in French). Archived from
1321:National Rugby Centre (CNR)
951:
2695:
2239:Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy
1476:The Complete Book of Rugby
1268:
1173:
1167:
484:
259:
2244:Trophée des Bicentenaires
2103:World Rugby Sevens Series
1799:Ryan, Ray (26 May 2003).
271:. It was formed in 1919.
232:competes annually in the
208:is a popular team sport.
170:
157:World Rugby Sevens Series
142:
2171:Challenge Yves du Manoir
2108:Sevens Grand Prix Series
1639:. London. Archived from
1578:. lnr.fr. Archived from
1343:Centre National du Rugby
1288:Six Nations Championship
1218:all won by French sides—
351:, called "combination".
269:Ligue Nationale de Rugby
234:Six Nations Championship
197:Challenge Yves du Manoir
1633:"From heroes to zeroes"
572:Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
429:Women's Rugby World Cup
378:(FFR, from the French:
376:French Rugby Federation
262:French Rugby Federation
51:French Rugby Federation
2345:Bosnia and Herzegovina
2296:Rugby union in Europe
2098:Rugby World Cup Sevens
1478:(Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997
1458:Rugby league in France
1334:
1286:France compete in the
477:
379:
326:
153:Rugby World Cup Sevens
2679:Rugby union in France
2229:International players
2209:France Women's Sevens
1961:Rugby union in France
1495:Mainstream Publishing
1328:
1242:winning in 2016, and
505:ASM Clermont Auvergne
467:
387:Paris Summer Olympics
362:in 1883. On 20 March
356:Racing Club de France
321:versus France at the
317:
221:, which replaced the
206:Rugby union in France
137:National competitions
32:Rugby union in France
2249:Dave Gallaher Trophy
2193:2023 Rugby World Cup
2187:2007 Rugby World Cup
1811:on 29 September 2007
1474:Bath, Richard (ed.)
1380:Free-to-air channel
1353:46 million (approx.
1307:2011 Rugby World Cup
1246:victorious in 2017.
1150:class=notpageimage|
449:association football
433:2007 Rugby World Cup
402:1924 Summer Olympics
398:1920 Summer Olympics
349:association football
336:in the early 1870s.
244:and hosted it again
242:2007 Rugby World Cup
2581:States with limited
2058:Other notable teams
1714:enpleinelucarne.net
1637:The Daily Telegraph
1582:on 25 November 2006
1554:The Daily Telegraph
1497:, Edinburgh, 2007,
1309:– losing twice to
372:Pierre de Coubertin
341:Le Havre Athletique
225:from 2014 to 2015.
2117:Professional clubs
1438:for local derbies
1401:Rugby Championship
1361:, south of Paris.
1335:
1275:France, nicknamed
478:
327:
323:Inter-Allied Games
119:Registered players
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2665:
2262:
2261:
2217:
2216:
2065:French Barbarians
2053:
2052:
1503:978-1-84596-255-5
1426:are broadcast by
1422:Matches from the
1391:Matches from the
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165:Club competitions
16:(Redirected from
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2303:Sovereign states
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2254:Fira Nations Cup
2222:Related articles
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1989:
1962:
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1863:planet-rugby.com
1855:
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1821:
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1807:. Archived from
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1643:on 12 April 2006
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1608:. Archived from
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1914:s rugby website
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1903:Rugby World Cup
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1690:. 23 May 2010
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90:Les Bleuettes
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55:
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49:
43:
39:
35:
30:
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19:
2610:Transnistria
2384:
2191:
2074:Competitions
1959:
1911:
1871:. Retrieved
1867:the original
1862:
1853:
1839:
1813:. Retrieved
1809:the original
1804:
1794:
1768:. Retrieved
1764:
1754:
1742:. Retrieved
1738:
1729:
1717:. Retrieved
1713:
1704:
1692:. Retrieved
1687:
1678:
1666:. Retrieved
1657:
1645:. Retrieved
1641:the original
1636:
1626:
1614:. Retrieved
1610:the original
1605:
1596:
1584:. Retrieved
1580:the original
1570:
1558:. Retrieved
1553:
1544:
1532:. Retrieved
1528:the original
1518:
1490:
1475:
1421:
1417:South Africa
1390:
1379:
1367:
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1336:
1292:
1285:
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1274:
1248:
1212:
1195:
1183:
1158:
555:
532:
513:
509:Rugby Pro D2
494:
460:Competitions
454:
446:
421:
417:
409:Rugby league
406:
395:
384:
353:
338:
328:
304:Rugby Europe
297:
273:
265:
250:
227:
223:Heineken Cup
205:
204:
185:Rugby Pro D2
106:First played
98:
89:
85:
76:
72:
26:
2648:Isle of Man
2583:recognition
2540:Switzerland
2475:Netherlands
2093:Six Nations
1908:(in French)
1900:(in French)
1892:(in French)
1770:12 February
1765:Rugby World
1744:12 November
1719:12 November
1694:12 November
1688:sportune.fr
1413:New Zealand
1386:Six Nations
1311:New Zealand
1281:World Rugby
1240:Montpellier
906:Montpellier
834:La Rochelle
744:Carcassonne
382:) in 1920.
300:World Rugby
210:Rugby union
149:Six Nations
77:Les Bleuets
69:Nickname(s)
2510:San Marino
2470:Montenegro
2450:Luxembourg
2430:Kazakhstan
2330:Azerbaijan
2166:Fédérale 3
2161:Fédérale 2
2156:Fédérale 1
1668:1 November
1606:rl1908.com
1586:2 November
1534:2 February
1464:References
1403:, between
1359:Marcoussis
1331:Marcoussis
1290:annually.
1174:See also:
535:Fédérale 1
443:Popularity
422:The first
279:, France,
193:Fédérale 2
189:Fédérale 1
86:Les Bleues
2638:Gibraltar
2445:Lithuania
2151:Nationale
2088:World Cup
1912:L'Équipe'
1510:Footnotes
1432:Eurosport
1409:Australia
1405:Argentina
1315:Australia
1277:Les Bleus
1261:in 2005.
1226:in 1998,
1224:Colomiers
1222:in 1997,
978:Perpignan
888:Montauban
798:Colomiers
516:Perpignan
501:Racing 92
472:match at
306:in 2014.
281:Catalonia
73:Les Bleus
2673:Category
2658:Svalbard
2643:Guernsey
2590:Abkhazia
2565:Scotland
2525:Slovenia
2520:Slovakia
2495:Portugal
2350:Bulgaria
2234:Stadiums
1859:"France"
1556:. London
1442:See also
1436:France 3
1382:France 2
1236:Biarritz
1228:Clermont
1220:Bourgoin
1199:Toulouse
1164:European
1104:Toulouse
996:Provence
816:Grenoble
780:Clermont
708:Bordeaux
690:Biarritz
636:Aurillac
592:Brittany
582:Normandy
562:Nanterre
520:Grenoble
481:National
112:Le Havre
2560:England
2550:Ukraine
2500:Romania
2460:Moldova
2415:Ireland
2410:Iceland
2405:Hungary
2395:Germany
2390:Georgia
2380:Finland
2375:Estonia
2370:Denmark
2355:Croatia
2340:Belgium
2335:Belarus
2325:Austria
2320:Armenia
2315:Andorra
2310:Albania
2040:Women's
2033:Women's
1873:13 July
1255:Castres
1201:, with
1191:English
1122:Valence
942:Oyonnax
762:Castres
672:BĂ©ziers
654:Bayonne
524:Oyonnax
334:British
325:of 1919
319:Romania
310:History
293:Germany
289:Romania
246:in 2023
123:360,847
37:Country
2653:Jersey
2595:Kosovo
2545:Turkey
2535:Sweden
2515:Serbia
2505:Russia
2490:Poland
2485:Norway
2465:Monaco
2435:Latvia
2420:Israel
2400:Greece
2385:France
2360:Cyprus
2144:Pro D2
2139:Top 14
1999:France
1895:FFR.fr
1647:14 May
1616:14 May
1560:14 May
1501:
1482:
1428:Sport+
1424:Pro D2
1397:Canal+
1393:Top 14
1339:French
1207:Toulon
1140:Vannes
1086:Toulon
1050:Soyaux
1014:Racing
924:Nevers
588:Vannes
568:Nevers
497:Top 14
491:Top 14
215:Top 14
181:Top 14
110:1872,
63:France
40:France
2628:Ă…land
2570:Wales
2530:Spain
2455:Malta
2425:Italy
1992:Men's
1815:6 May
1739:L'Obs
1203:Brive
1032:Rouen
726:Brive
578:Rouen
547:Rouen
539:Massy
528:Brive
277:Italy
131:1,798
128:Clubs
2024:U-18
2019:U-20
1875:2006
1817:2007
1772:2017
1746:2011
1721:2011
1696:2011
1670:2011
1649:2006
1618:2006
1588:2006
1562:2006
1536:2014
1499:ISBN
1480:ISBN
1434:and
1415:and
1305:and
1303:1999
1299:1987
1259:Auch
1249:The
1184:The
1178:and
852:Lyon
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