Top 14

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

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Racing 92 sack former European Player of the Year Leone Nakarawa

6 December 2019 0 comments

A total breakdown in relations between Racing 92 and Leone Nakarawa has led to the sacking of the Fiji star

Bristol Bears hope to outbid French rivals with £500K offer to Justin Tipuric

20 November 2019 0 comments

Bristol Bears make heavyweight offer to the Wales and Ospreys star

Stateside is calling for Basta and Steff

28 July 2019 1 comment

Adam Ellis casts an eye over the moves made in the Top 14 as it abounds with even more star talent New scenary: Mathieu Bastareaud […]

Julian Savea takes pay cut to remain with Toulon

26 June 2019 0 comments

Savea signed a two-year £870,000-per-year deal with Toulon which has now been slashed

Ronan O’Gara to leave Crusaders for move closer to home

12 June 2019 0 comments

O’Gara said in May that he is always in contact with Munster amid ‘two or three other options’

France full-back Scott Spedding to retire from rugby at 33

16 May 2019 0 comments

Castres full-back Scott Spedding has announced he will retire from all rugby at the end of the season. Capped 23 times by France, Spedding packed […]

Handre Pollard out, Morne Steyn in at the Bulls

14 May 2019 0 comments

Bulls star fly-half destined to move north from Super Rugby home, while Steyn gets homecoming

Wesley Fofana announces international retirement date

24 January 2019 0 comments

Clermont Auvergne centre set to retire from France duty after the World Cup in Japan

Ulster issue lifetime ban to supporter who allegedly abused Simon Zebo

23 January 2019 0 comments

Ulster conducted an investigation in the wake of allegations arising during their Champions Cup match against Zebo’s Racing 92

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus pays tribute to retired Pat Lambie

22 January 2019 0 comments

Former coach has kind words for the Springboks star who has announced a premature end to his rugby career

Springboks star fly-half set to announce shock retirement, according to reports

18 January 2019 0 comments

28-year-old has been battling concussion symptoms

George Merrick to leave Harlequins for Top 14 giants

4 January 2019 0 comments

Quins second row will play for Clermont Auvergne next season

WATCH: Toulouse score wonder team try against Toulon

2 January 2019 0 comments

Cheslin Kolbe capped off a remarkable passage of play in 39-0 drubbing of Toulon

Stade Francais teenager Nicolas Chauvin dies after sustaining neck injury in match

13 December 2018 0 comments

Stade Francais are ‘in mourning’ following death of 19-year-old

Laporte rides the outcry over £7m loss

9 December 2018 1 comment

DAVID BARNES Dogged: Bernard Laporte is still fighting to stage the 2023 World Cup in France ”Laporte asked an annual meeting of clubs in Agen […]

Former Ulster star signs extension with Brive

3 October 2018 0 comments

Former Ireland and Ulster centre to remain in France

Ma’a Nonu to re-join Blues after leaving Toulon

13 September 2018 0 comments

A third stint with New Zealand’s underachieving Super Rugby outfit

Delon Armitage’s season is over after damaging knee ligaments

28 August 2018 0 comments

An ACL injury strikes cruel blow to the Lyon full-back

Abendanon’s ready to restore Clermont glory

19 August 2018 0 comments

DAVID BARNES No-one felt the pain of a doomed season for champions Clermont more than Nick Abendanon, their charismatic English full-back or winger. Others, of […]

All Blacks star set for big move to Toulon

14 June 2018 0 comments

Mourad Boudjellal busy in recruitment again…

Stuart Olding signs for relegated Top 14 side Brive

28 May 2018 0 comments

Olding and Ulster team-mate Paddy Jackson had their contracts at the Kingspan revoked in April

Dave Attwood at home with ‘mutants’ in France

28 March 2018 0 comments

The Bath lock is enjoying life on loan at double-chancers Toulon

Former All Blacks great Conrad Smith drops hint on when he will retire

7 February 2018 0 comments

Now 36, the Pau centre has spoken about his future ahead of the Brisbane Tens tournamant

Barnes column: Rory Teague’s rise just goes on and on in France

10 January 2018 0 comments

David Barnes on the former Gloucester man’s growing influence with Top 14 side Bordeaux-Begles

France becoming second home for rising number of Fijian fliers

22 December 2017 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher counts the rise of Fijian wide men heading to the Top 14

David Strettle could return for Premiership swansong as Top 14 make rule changes

22 December 2017 0 comments

“I’ve got a few other offers from France, but I haven’t made up my mind” says the former Saracens wing

Leroy Houston signs with Bordeaux-Begles

6 June 2017 0 comments

Former Bath fan favourite Leroy Houston has signed for Top 14 side Bordeaux-Begles after requesting his Reds contract be terminated with the Super Rugby side. […]

Super Rugby? I’d rather watch European game, says Mitchell

31 March 2017 0 comments

Former All Blacks coach John Mitchell has bemoaned the demise of Super Rugby and has called on organisers to take a leaf out of Europe’s […]

I do love Lyon says Carl Fearns, but I still fancy tilt at England

14 October 2016 0 comments

In-demand No.8 Carl Fearns admits he will be torn between staying in France or returning to the Premiership when his contract with Lyon expires next […]

Boudjellal dismisses Dominguez rumours

12 July 2016 0 comments

Rapidly growing rumours of Toulon coach Diego Dominguez exiting the club have been played down by Mourad Boudjellal. Toulon’s owner has been reported to have […]

Leigh Halfpenny still caught in Toulon or Wales row

29 March 2016 0 comments

Leigh Halfpenny is to make his come-back next Saturday with Toulon refusing to release him for Wales’ tour of New Zealand. Negotiations between the Welsh […]

Sam Warburton: Let Leigh Halfpenny play for Wasps if he wants

30 December 2015 0 comments

Leigh Halfpenny should be free to play where he chooses according to Wales captain Sam Warburton. Halfpenny is wanted by Wasps and would join exiles […]

Carl Fearns: French leave will ease my frustration

22 August 2015 1 comment

Bath’s decision to move Sam Burgess into their back row contributed to shock summer move to France.

‘Phenomenon’ Samu Manoa can be even bigger in France

11 August 2015 0 comments

USA Eagle is already proving a big hit with fans in Toulon.

Leigh Halfpenny told: Play for Toulon or face axe

4 August 2015 1 comment

European Champions threatening to sack full-bakc over the club-or-country clash looming at the end of the new season.

Six Nations snub made David Strettle decide to go

15 July 2015 1 comment

David Strettle admits his decision to refuse a place in England’s World Cup training squad might have been different had boss Stuart Lancaster included him […]

Andrew Sheridan confirms retirement

30 September 2014 1 comment

As reveled on August 1, Andrew Sheridan today confirmed he has been forced to retire from professional rugby on medical ground. The former Lions and […]

Jonny Sexton out for six weeks

2 September 2014 0 comments

Ireland will be sweating on Jonny Sexton’s fitness ahead of the autumn Tests after the fly-half broke his jaw last weekend. Sexton suffered the injury […]

Clermont say attacked trio could return to training in a month

21 July 2014 0 comments

Clermont Auvergne have stated that the three squad members attacked in Millau should return to training in a month. France internationals Aurelien Rougerie, Julien Pierre […]

Hooker test positive for bodybuilding drug

10 June 2014 0 comments

Chiliboy Ralepelle has reportedly failed a drug test for the second time in his career. The Toulouse and Springbok hooker, who is recovering from a […]

Jonny Wilkinson to hang up boots

19 May 2014 0 comments

As revealed in The Rugby Paper on March 23, Jonny Wilkinson will retire at the end of the season. Seventeen years after making his debut […]

Sky Sports steal Top14 rights from BT Sports

18 April 2014 1 comment

Sky Sports have signed a broadcasting deal to show the French Top14 for the next five years. The French league is currently shown on BT […]

Toulouse confirm signing of Toby Flood

14 March 2014 1 comment

Toulouse have confirmed the signing of Leicester fly-half Toby Flood ahead of next season. The move had been rumoured since December and Richard Cockerill confirmed his […]

Nick Cain: French cash pile could bury international game

23 January 2014 7 comments

Ben Mowen’s decision to quit Australian rugby at the end of this year to take up a contract with a Top 14 club should have […]

Top14 sign new €355M TV deal

15 January 2014 2 comments

The Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) has announced a new exclusive five-year deal with broadcaster Canal+ for the Top 14 TV rights worth €355M. This […]

I could play on for one more year, says Jonny Wilkinson

17 December 2013 1 comment

Jonny Wilkinson came off the bench on Saturday to score the bonus-point try that helped put champions Toulon firmly in control of their Heineken Cup pool and then announced he could play on for another year after all.

Toulon in ‘illegal’ move for Leigh Halfpenny

2 October 2013 0 comments

European champions Toulon were at the centre of an illegal approach row last Saturday over a cheeky attempt to sign Leigh Halfpenny.

“I’ve lost all respect for Cockerill,” says Martin Castrogiovanni

3 July 2013 1 comment

Martin Castrogiovanni, shaggy-haired prop who has just joined Toulon, has delivered a scathing verdict on the Leicester bosses he left behind. He won a drawn-out […]

Delon Armitage: My regret over that wave and row with Brian Moore

18 June 2013 2 comments

Being Public Enemy No.1 in one country is bad enough. But two? That takes some doing, but Delon Armitage appears to have managed it with […]

Dean Ryan in wings as Akapusi Qera hints at move

24 May 2013 0 comments

Dynamic Gloucester flanker Akapusi Qera could potentially be reunited with Dean Ryan when his contract at Kingsholm expires next year. Qera, nominated for this season’s […]

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