Top 14

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Top 14 news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Bouscatel looks like he will run again

22 December 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN ADVENT tensions rather than goodwill in the corridors of French rugby power in the week leading up to Christmas, as Top […]

Oyonnax must live without Joe El-Abd

15 December 2024 0 comments

By James Harrington Oyonnax’s seven-try 53-10 bonus-point win over ProD2 rivals Soyaux-Angouleme on Friday – their first victory since October 25 – was a relief […]

France won’t play All Blacks in USA

8 December 2024 0 comments

French Column – By James Harrington The FFR has rejected a proposal from New Zealand to relocate the third Test of next July’s tour to […]

Stade are heading in right direction Racing

1 December 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN IS there an early winter equivalent to the idiom about solitary swallows and the impending arrival of summer? Because – whatever […]

Sadourny gets nod to replace Davidson

24 November 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Hat-trick man: Toulon wing Gael Drean runs in to score against Bayonne PICTURE: Getty Images IN April 2019, then-France coach Jacques […]

Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions

10 November 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has – so far – been no exception. In fact, […]

Galthie turns his sights to the future

3 November 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Not wanted: Charles Ollivon has been omitted from the France squad by coach Fabien Galthie PICTURES Getty Images FRANCE head coach […]

Maverick Jalibert makes his case

27 October 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN HOW do you solve a problem like Matthieu Jalibert? The 25-year-old Bordeaux fly-half is, undoubtedly, one of the talents of French […]

Gustard needs to get Stade rocking

20 October 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE November break cannot come quickly enough for Stade Francais, no matter what happens against Clermont in Paris on Saturday night […]

Manu Tuilagi makes mark for Bayonne

13 October 2024 0 comments

French Column, by James Harrington While the focus of French rugby attention is on Stade Ernest Wallon and the return to action of a certain […]

Stade get back into winning routine

6 October 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN WHEN does a bad start become a crisis? For Stade Francais it was the morning after last Saturday’s defeat at Pau, […]

Magnificent Sam Marques deserves place at the top table

29 September 2024 0 comments

The splendid Samuel Marques – 35 but still going strong and mulling coming out of international retirement – has been declared the ProD2 player of […]

Galthie’s plans will need a re-think

29 September 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN FOUR weeks into the Top 14 season and six weeks out from France’s opening Autumn Nations Series match, Fabien Galthie is […]

Frisch in mood to impress Galthie

22 September 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Ambitious: Antoine Frisch is keen to make a mark in the international setup PICTURE: Getty Images ONE-TIME Bristol Bear Antoine Frisch […]

Henry Chavancy notches No. 400 for Racing 92

15 September 2024 0 comments

French Column – By James Harrington Racing 92’s veteran centre Henry Chavancy reached a remarkable career milestone on Saturday when he came on to replace […]

Stuart Lancaster: Owen Farrell will be key to Racing 92 Success

13 September 2024 0 comments

Racing 92 head coach Stuart Lancaster believes that Owen Farrell’s development over the last decade will be key to the Parisians’ success this season. Lancaster, […]

Castres steal it in dramatic late show

8 September 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The big kick-off: Henry Arundell scored Racing’s first try of the season but it was not a debut to remember for […]

Bayonne centre Manu Tuilagi to miss start of season

1 September 2024 0 comments

Manu Tuilagi will miss the start of the upcoming Top 14 season for new club Bayonne after breaking his hand.

Brive get one over title rivals Oyonnax

1 September 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN PICTURES: Getty Images Impressive debut: Courtney Lawes playing for Brive against Oyonnax. Inset, Jonny May COURTNEY Lawes officially kicked off his […]

Manu Tuilagi suffers broken hand in pre-season game for new club Bayonne

28 August 2024 0 comments

Tuilagi has suffered more injury woe after he swapped England for France. Former England centre Manu Tuilagi will have to wait before he can debut […]

Farrell in danger of being lost in France

25 August 2024 0 comments

Jeremy Guscott Outspoken and unmissable… Every week Finn Russell’s statement about how much he’d like to reunite with Owen Farrell for the 2025 Lions, particularly […]

Carbonel will add the flair for Stade

25 August 2024 0 comments

James Harrington French column Last season, Stade Francais finished second in the Top 14 to qualify directly for the semi-finals – where an after-the-hooter conversion […]

Racing 92 confirm Le Garrec is leaving

18 August 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN On the move: Scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec will be joining La Rochelle PICTURE: Getty Images YES, it’s still August – I’ve […]

Mehrtens reported to lead group out to buy Beziers

18 August 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON LESS than two weeks before the new ProD2 season kicks off, overseas buyers have officially submitted a bid to buy Beziers – four […]

Jaminet appeals against long ban

4 August 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN FRANCE international Melvyn Jaminet is to appeal against a 34- week suspension and €30,000 fine imposed by the FFR’s disciplinary committee […]

14 poised to hit the ground running

28 July 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN One to watch: Owen Farrell is the next in a long line of big-name internationals who have played at 10 for […]

Vannes facing a tough early test

21 July 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Promoted ProD2 winners Vannes will kick off their first-ever season in the Top 14 at home against 23-time French champions Toulouse […]

Time for players to behave properly

14 July 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN There are no ‘good’ responses to Melvyn Jaminet’s violently racist outburst on social media, or the serious sexual assault allegations levelled […]

There’s more than money to Toulouse

7 July 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER There have, rightly, been acres of words written about Toulouse in recent […]

Jalibert is top of the ‘wanted’ list again

7 July 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Never mind that the words ‘Stade Toulousain’ have only just been meticulously punched into the plaque on the Bouclier de Brennus […]

Terrific Toulouse go on the rampage

30 June 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN “We didn’t just lose the arm wrestle – we had our wrists broken under the table,” Bordeaux boss Yannick Bru admitted, […]

Ntamack makes sure for Toulouse

23 June 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN RONAN O’Gara must be wondering what he has to do for his La Rochelle side to beat Toulouse when it matters. […]

Carbonel winner ensures last-gasp Montpellier survival

16 June 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE English Football League’s Championship play-off final is sometimes referred to as ‘the richest game in football’, with £100million of spoils […]

Hogg has eyes set on Top 14 surprise

9 June 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Stuart Hogg’s reported surprise reverse-ferret back into the professional game after his retirement last year – and repeated suggestions that he […]

Cholley has cast his fearsome shadow over Castres

2 June 2024 0 comments

Castres have reinforced their position as the most red-carded of clubs, a fact unlikely to surprise those who remember their most famous or infamous player […]

Gopperth misses out on top flight

2 June 2024 0 comments

FRENCH COLUMN By JAMES HARRINGTON Jimmy Gopperth won’t be the oldest-ever player to feature in the Top 14 next season after all, after his Provence […]

TV deal hits the €700m jackpot

26 May 2024 0 comments

By JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Jeroboams of champagne all round at Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) headquarters earlier this week, after its TV rights tender […]

Dramatic finale puts Brive into play-offs

19 May 2024 0 comments

By JAMES HARRINGTON The ProD2 supplied a final glorious regular-season round for the ages in a perfectly timed reminder to broadcasters interested in bidding for […]

Davies the leading light in Welsh quartet

12 May 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Four international fly-halves took flight from Wales last year, understandably so given the alternative of staying put […]

I may sell Toulon for €1 – Lemaitre

12 May 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN A matter of weeks after ProD2 strugglers Biarritz were sold for €1, Toulon owner Bernard Lemaitre suggested he might be willing […]

Biarritz’s fight for survival goes on

5 May 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Ten days ago, under-new-management ProD2 strugglers Biarritz gave themselves what looked a lot like a crucial safety net with a 26-30 […]

Record crowds flock to matches

28 April 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON – FRENCH COLUMN More people than ever are flocking through the turnstiles of Top 14 and ProD2 matches, according to figures published by […]

I’m loving every single minute

21 April 2024 0 comments

Mark Stevens finds former Exeter Chiefs playmaker Joe Simmonds enjoying his new life in France In the picturesque town of Pau nestled at the foot […]

JIFF looks likely to play a vital role

21 April 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON – FRENCH COLUMN It’s logical – as the final stop-start sprint in a hard-fought Top 14 season begins – to think purely in […]

We need Biarrtitz back to their best

14 April 2024 0 comments

SERGE Blanco, the finest full-back ever to grace the union game, spent his entire club career at Biarritz. So did the celebrated loose forward Michel […]

Biarritz’s future is back in its hands

14 April 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN To the relief of fans, white smoke was finally seen over the stand tops of Biarritz’s Parc des Sports d’Aguilera recently, […]

Montpellier lead chase for Munster ace Frisch

7 April 2024 0 comments

Montpellier are leading the chase for Munster centre Antoine Frisch, who has declared his allegiance to France over Ireland. Born in Fontainebleau, France, Frisch qualifies […]

‘Immortal’ Whitelock to retire

7 April 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON NEW Zealand’s mostcapped player Sam Whitelock will retire at the end of the French club season in June. The lock, who played […]

TV deal to break €500m barrier

7 April 2024 0 comments

FRENCH COLUMN – JAMES HARRINGTON France’s Ligue Nationale de Rugby hopes to pocket more than half-a-billion euros, after launching a call for tenders for Top […]

Toulon will have to wait for Carbonel

1 April 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN LOUIS Carbonel’s immediate Top 14 future is in Montpellier. The question is: for how long? The Toulon-born fly-half has been the […]

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