Pro D2
The Pro D2 is the second tier of rugby union club competition division in France. It is operated by Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) which also runs the division directly above, the first division Top 14. Pro D2 was introduced in 2000. It is the world's best-supported second-tier rugby union league.
Current season, competition or edition: 2025–26 Rugby Pro D2 season | |
 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 |
| Administrator | LNR |
| No. of teams | 16 |
| Country |  France |
| Most recent champion | US Montauban (2024–25) |
| Most titles | Lyon / Oyonnax (3 titles) |
| Level on pyramid | Level 2 |
| Promotion to | Top 14 |
| Relegation to | Nationale |
| Official website | Pro D2 |
The Pro D2 is the second tier of rugby union club competition division in France. It is operated by Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) which also runs the division directly above, the first division Top 14. Pro D2 was introduced in 2000. It is the world's best-supported second-tier rugby union league.[1]
Season structure
[edit]There are 30 rounds in the regular season, with each team playing every other team once home and once away.
Pro D2 has a relegation and promotion system with both the Top 14 and Nationale, the third-level competition. The top two clubs at the end of the season qualify automatically for home semi-finals, with the clubs placed 3rd through to 6th playing in an elimination round to advance to the semi-finals. The two winners of the semi-final play each other in the final, with the winner gaining promotion to the Top 14, and the losing finalist then going on to play the 13th placed team in the Top 14 in a promotion-relegation match. The bottom placed (16th) team is automatically relegated to the Nationale division, and the 15th placed team plays the losing finalist from the Nationale division in a promotion-relegation match.
All promotions are contingent on passing a postseason financial audit required for all clubs. Also, if a club above the bottom two places fails the audit, it may be relegated in the place of a club that would otherwise have been relegated. This was especially an issue in the 2015–16 season, when four clubs faced at least the prospect of relegation for financial reasons. During the season, Tarbes were dropped to Fédérale 1 effective with the 2016–17 season, and Biarritz, Bourgoin and Narbonne were also dropped at the end of the season, pending appeals.[2] Ultimately, Biarritz, Bourgoin, and Narbonne all won their appeals and remained in Pro D2.[3][4]
Changes for 2017–18 and beyond
[edit]In August 2016, LNR released a strategic plan outlining its vision for French rugby through the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The plan includes significant changes to the top levels of the league system, with Pro D2 seeing especially dramatic changes starting with the 2017–18 season.[5]
- Starting with 2017–18, the Pro D2 adopted a playoff system identical to that of the Top 14, with the top six teams on the league table qualifying. The top two teams receive byes into the semifinals, where they will face the winners of quarterfinal matches involving the remaining four sides.
- Only the Pro D2 champions will be assured of promotion to the Top 14. The losing finalist will enter an access match with the second-from-bottom Top 14 side, with the winner taking up the final Top 14 place.
- Starting with 2023–24, this access match also takes place between the second-from-bottom Pro D2 side and the runner up in the Nationale, with the winner taking up the final Pro D2 place.
Current teams
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Previous seasons
[edit]Access Match Era (2017-present)
[edit]Starting in the 2017-18 Pro D2 season LNR introduced a new playoff format which the top six teams in the table would qualify for. Teams finishing first and second in the table would receive a bye while the third through sixth teams contest the first playoff round, with the winners advancing to play away in the semi-final. The Pro D2 final is then held at the home ground of the highest remaining seed, the winner of this game is crowned Pro D2 champions and gains direct promotion to the Top 14, replacing the team who finished bottom in the table.[6]
The runner up contests an access match at their home ground against the team who finished second bottom in the Top 14, for the right to play in the Top 14 the next season.
Starting in the 2023–24 season the second bottom side in the Pro D2 contests a similar access match with the runner up of the Nationale, with both teams playing for the right to play in the Pro D2 the next year.
| Season | ProD2 Playoff Champion | Top14 Access Match | Top14 Access Result | ProD2 Access Match | ProD2 Access Result | Direct Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | US Montauban | Grenoble vs USA Perpignan | 11-13, Perpignan stay in the Top 14[7] | SO Chambery vs Stade Aurillacois | 15-45, Stade Aurillacois stay in the Pro D2 [8] | Stade Niçois |
| 2023–24 | RC Vannes | Grenoble vs Montpellier | 18–20, Montpellier stay in the Top 14[9] | RC Narbonne vs US Montauban | 19-20, Montauban stay in the Pro D2 [10] | Rouen NR |
| 2022–23 | Oyonnax | Grenoble vs USA Perpignan | 19-33, Perpignan stay in the Top 14[11] | Carcassonne, Massy | ||
| 2021–22 | Bayonne | Stade Montois vs USA Perpignan | 16-41, Perpignan stay in the Top 14[12] | Narbonne, Bourg-en-Bresse | ||
| 2020–21 | Perpignan | Biarritz vs Bayonne | 6-6 AET (6–5 on penalties), Biarritz won promotion to the Top 14[13] | Soyaux Angoulême, Valence Romans | ||
| 2019–20 | League suspended after 23 rounds and ultimately cancelled owing to the COVID-19 pandemic in France.[14] | |||||
| 2018–19 | Bayonne | Brive vs Grenoble | 28-22, Brive won promotion to the Top 14[15] | Massy, Bourg-en-Bresse | ||
| 2017–18 | Perpignan | Grenoble vs Oyonnax | 47–22, Grenoble won promotion to the Top 14 [16] | Narbonne, Dax | ||
1st Place Promotion and Playoff Expansion to 5th Placed Sides (2004-2017)
[edit]Following the reduction of the Top 16 to the Top 14 the promotion format for the Pro D2 was changed to increase competition in the playoffs, as previously there was no jeopardy for the team having already won the league. Starting in the 2005–06 season the team finishing at the top of the table in the regular season was declared the winner and received automatic promotion to the Top 14. Teams placed 2nd through 5th then played in a direct playoff format to fight for the 2nd promotion slot.
During the 2004–05 season a playoff occurred in the Pro D2, however instead of automatic promotion, as would follow, the playoff winner became host for an Access Match for the 13th finishing side in the then Top 16. This match was won comprehensively by Section Paloise, meaning Stade Aurillacois were not promoted.[17]
- Notes
§ In this season the Top 16 relegated additional teams to become the Top 14, therefore the first access match was played between Stade Aurillacois, winners of the Pro D2 playoffs, and Section Paloise, the 13th placed team in that years Top 16. The access match finished 13-46 and so despite winning the playoff format, Stade Aurillacois were not promoted.
Establishment of the Pro D2 (2001-2004)
[edit]For the first season of the Pro D2 it was decided that promotion would be given to the top two sides in the table, however following that first year a playoff format was introduced, with the top 4 sides qualifying and playing in a single elimination bracket to decide the champion for that season, and subsequent promotion to the Top 14. The second promotion slot was given to the remaining playoff team which had the highest position in the league table.[18]
| Season | Champion | Additionally Promoted | Relegated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Auch | Bayonne, finished 1st in the table | Bordeaux-Bègles |
| 2002–03 | Montpellier | Brive, finished 1st in the table | Aubenas Vals, Marmande |
| 2001–02 | Mont-de-Marsan | Grenoble, finished 2nd in the table | Rumilly, Tours |
Number of league titles
[edit]- Lyon (3)
- Oyonnax (3)
- Auch (2)
- Bayonne (2)
- Montauban (2)
- Toulon (2)
- Perpignan (2)
- Agen (1)
- Grenoble (1)
- Mont-de-Marsan (1)
- Montpellier (1)
- Pau (1)
- Racing Métro (1)
- RC Vannes (1)
- US Montauban (1)
This can be found from the LNR website.[19]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Rugby attendances: Are they growing or in decline?". 20 September 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ Mortimer, Gavin (1 June 2016). "Financial penalties in the ProD2 send shockwaves around French rugby". Rugby World. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ "Biarritz et Narbonne Maintenus en PRO D2" [Biarritz and Narbonne Remain in Pro D2] (Press release) (in French). Ligue Nationale de Rugby. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
- ^ "Bourgoin Reste en PRO D2" [Bourgoin Remains in Pro D2] (Press release) (in French). Ligue Nationale de Rugby. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ Mortimer, Gavin (18 August 2016). "French rugby enjoys a popularity boom as it looks to the future". Rugby World. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
- ^ "French rugby enjoys a popularity boom as it looks to the future". 18 August 2016. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025.
- ^ "FC Grenoble vs USA Perpignan".
- ^ "Chamberry - Stade Aurillacois".
- ^ "FC Grenoble vs Montpellier".
- ^ "Montauban sauve sa peau en battant Narbonne d'un petit point".
- ^ "Grenoble - Perpignan : Le résumé de la victoire de l'USAP". Rugbyrama.fr.
- ^ "Perpignan domine Mont-de-Marsan et conserve sa place en Top 14 pour la saison prochaine".
- ^ "Biarritz retrouve le Top 14 après sa victoire aux tirs au but face à Bayonne en barrage".
- ^ "Top 14 - Pro D2 : les présidents d'accord pour ne pas attribuer de titre". L'Equipe. 6 May 2020.
- ^ "RUGBY. Top 14 (Access match) : Le debriefing de Brive - Grenoble".
- ^ "Top 14 - Match report Grenoble vs Oyonnax, le 12/05/2018".
- ^ "Stade de France, Saint-Denis, 11 juin 2005". 13 June 2005. Archived from the original on 29 October 2022.
- ^ "Finale de Pro D2 : Stade Montois, l'histoire du titre « oublié » de 2002". 3 June 2022. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022.
- ^ "Classement". LNR. 10 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]- (in French) Rugby Pro D2 – Official website
- (in French) Midi Olympique