2019–20 Rugby Pro D2 season explained

2019–20 Pro D2
Countries:	France
Date:	22 August 2019 – May 2020
Matches:	181
Attendance:	890361
Highest Attendance:	13,000 Perpignan v Béziers 22 August 2019
Lowest Attendance:	1,452 Rouen v Colomiers 10 January 2020
Top Point Scorer:	Yohan Le Bourhis (Oyonnax) 255 points
Top Try Scorer:	Jean-Bernard Pujol (Perpignan) Wame Naituvi (Mont-de-Marsan) 9 tries each
Website:	www.lnr.fr
Prevseason:	2018–19
Nextseason:	2020–21

The 2019–20 Rugby Pro D2 was the second-level French rugby union club competition, behind the Top 14, for the 2019–20 season. It ran alongside the 2019–20 Top 14 competition; both competitions are operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).

Playing was suspended after the 23rd Matchday due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France. The season was officially cancelled without any promotion or relegation on 6 May.^[1]

Teams

Club	City	Stadium	Capacity	Previous season
	Aurillac (Cantal)	Stade Jean Alric	align=center	9,000	14th
Béziers	Béziers (Hérault)	Stade de la Méditerranée	align=center	18,555	7th
Biarritz	Biarritz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)	Parc des Sports Aguiléra	align=center	15,000	8th
Carcassonne	Carcassonne (Aude)	Stade Albert Domec	align=center	10,000	11th
Colomiers	Colomiers (Haute-Garonne)	Stade Michel Bendichou	align=center	11,430	13th
Grenoble	Grenoble (Isère)	Stade des Alpes	align=center	20,068	Relegated from Top 14 (lost play-off)
Mont-de-Marsan	Mont-de-Marsan (Landes)	Stade Guy Boniface	align=center	16,800	Semi-final qualifiers (5th in league)
Montauban	Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne)	Stade Sapiac	align=center	12,600	12th
Nevers	Nevers (Nièvre)	Stade du Pré Fleuri	align=center	7,500	Semi-final qualifiers (6th in league)
Oyonnax	Oyonnax (Ain)	Stade Charles-Mathon	align=center	11,500	Semi-finals (2nd in league)
Perpignan	Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales)	Stade Aimé Giral	align=center	14,593	Relegated from Top 14 (14th)
Provence		Stade Maurice David	align=center	6,000	10th
Rouen	Rouen (Seine-Maritime)	Stade Jean-Mermoz Stade Robert Diochon	align=center	3,000 12,018	Promoted from Fédérale 1 (champions)
Soyaux Angoulême	Angoulême (Charente)	Stade Chanzy	align=center	8,000	9th
Valence Romans	Valence (Drôme)	Stade Georges Pompidou	align=center	15,128	Promoted from Fédérale 1 (runners up)
Vannes	Vannes (Morbihan)	Stade de la Rabine	align=center	9,500	Semi-finals (4th in league)

Changes in the lineup from 2018–19 were:

• Bayonne won the 2018–19 Pro D2 title and were thereby automatically promoted to the Top 14. Brive won the Top 14/Pro D2 playoff to secure the second promotion place.
• The two bottom finishers in 2018–19, Massy and Bourg-en-Bresse, were relegated from Pro D2 to Fédérale 1.
• The bottom finisher in the 2018–19 Top 14 season, Perpignan was relegated to Pro D2. Grenoble lost the Top 14/Pro D2 playoff and were therefore relegated.
• Rouen won the 2018–19 Fédérale 1 title and were thereby automatically promoted. Valence Romans, who finished 2nd, was also promoted

Competition format

The regular season uses a double round-robin format, in which each team plays the others home and away.

The LNR uses a slightly different bonus points system from that used in most other rugby competitions. It trialled a new system in 2007–08 explicitly designed to prevent a losing team from earning more than one bonus point in a match,^[2] a system that also made it impossible for either team to earn a bonus point in a drawn match. LNR chose to continue with this system for subsequent seasons.^[3]

France's bonus point system operates as follows:^[4]

• 4 points for a win.
• 2 points for a draw.
• 1 bonus point for winning while scoring at least 3 more tries than the opponent. This replaces the standard bonus point for scoring 4 tries regardless of the match result.
• 1 bonus point for losing by 5 points (or less). The required margin had been 7 points or less until being changed in advance of the 2014–15 season.

Starting with the 2017–18 season, Pro D2 conducts a play-off system identical to the one currently used in Top 14, with the top six teams qualifying for the play-offs and the top two teams receiving byes into the semi-finals. The winner of the play-offs earns the league championship and automatic promotion to the next season's Top 14; the runner-up enters a play-off with the second-from-bottom Top 14 team, with the winner of that play-off taking up the final place in Top 14.^[5]

This replaced the previous system in which the top team at the end of the regular season was declared champion, also earning a Top 14 place, while the second- through fifth-place teams competed in promotion play-offs. The play-off semi-finals were played at the home ground of the higher-ranked team. The final was then played on neutral ground, and the winner earned the second ticket to the next Top 14.

Promotion

Pro D2 to Top 14

As noted above, both promotion places will be determined by play-offs from 2017–18 forward, with the winner of the Pro D2 play-offs earning promotion and the runner-up playing the second-from-bottom Top 14 team for the next season's final Top 14 place.

Fédérale 1 to Pro D2

At the same time, LNR and the French Rugby Federation (FFR) changed the promotion process from Fédérale 1 to Pro D2. For three seasons (2017–18 to 2019–20), only one team will be promoted to Pro D2 through the Fédérale 1 competition. The second promotion place will be a "wild card" granted by LNR to a club that meets the following criteria:^[5]

• must be located in northern France (with the dividing line running approximately from La Rochelle to Lyon)
• have a long-term development plan
• location in an area that can demographically and economically support a fully professional club

Starting with the 2020–21 season, LNR will create a third professional league, slotting between Pro D2 and Fédérale 1 in the league system.^[5]

Relegation

Normally, the teams that finish in 15th and 16th places in the table are relegated to Fédérale 1 at the end of the season. In certain circumstances, "financial reasons" may cause a higher-placed team to be demoted instead, or bar a Fédérale 1 team from promotion.

Fixtures & Results

Round 1

^[6] ----

Round 2

^[7] ----

Round 3

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Round 4

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Round 5

• Postponed due to staph infection outbreak. Rescheduled to 29 November 2019.^[10]

• Postponed due to staph infection outbreak. Rescheduled to 29 November 2019.^{[11] [12]}

^[13] ----

Round 6

• Postponed due to staph infection outbreak. Rescheduled for 14 March 2020.^{[14] [15]}

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Round 7

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Round 8

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Round 9

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Round 10

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Round 11

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Round 12

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Round 5 (rescheduled games)

• Rescheduled from 27 September 2019.

• Rescheduled from 27 September 2019.

^[13] ----

Round 13

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Round 14

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Round 15

^[25] ----

Round 16

^[26] ----

Round 17

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Round 18

• Postponed due to heavy flooding. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020.^[28]

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Round 19

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Round 20

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Round 21

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Round 22

• Postponed due to heavy winds. Game to be rescheduled for 21 March 2020.^[33]

^[34] ----

Round 23

^[35] ----

Rounds 6 & 18 (rescheduled games)

• Originally rescheduled from 24 January 2020 but postponed again as French pro rugby is suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak.^[36]

• Originally rescheduled from 4 October 2019 bot postponed again as French pro rugby is suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak.^[36]

^{[16] [29]} ----

Round 22 (rescheduled game)

• Originally rescheduled from 1 March 2020 but postponed again as French rugby is suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak.^[36]

^[34] ----

Round 24

• All games cancelled as French rugby is suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak.^[36]

^[37] ----

Round 25

• All games cancelled as French rugby is suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak.^[36]

^[38] ----

Round 26

• All games cancelled as French rugby is suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak.^[36]

^[39] ----

Round 27

• All games cancelled as French rugby is suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak.^[36]

^[40] ----

Round 28

• All games cancelled as French rugby is suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak.^[36]

^[41] ----

Round 29

• All games cancelled as French rugby is suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak.^[36]

^[42] ----

Round 30

• All games cancelled as French rugby is suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak.^[36]

^[43]

Attendances

• Attendances do not include the final as this is held at a neutral venue. Also does not include the relegation playoff game.

Club	Home Games	Total	Average	Highest	Lowest	% Capacity
Aurillac	11	28,147	2,559	3,500	1,500	28%
Béziers	12	55,122	4,594	5,537	3,765	25%
Biarritz	12	39,000	3,250	5,000	2,000	22%
Carcassonne	11	31,500	2,864	4,000	2,500	29%
Colomiers	12	47,926	3,994	5,000	2,900	35%
Grenoble	11	100,971	9,179	12,205	7,000	46%
Mont-de-Marsan	11	48,923	4,448	5,900	2,500	26%
Montauban	11	51,027	4,639	5,500	4,000	37%
Nevers	11	70,564	6,415	7,373	5,886	86%
Oyonnax	12	65,465	5,455	6,909	4,500	47%
Perpignan	11	98,299	8,936	13,000	7,374	61%
Provence	11	45,967	4,179	5,950	3,000	70%
Rouen	11	32,795	2,981	6,437	1,452	66%
Soyaux Angoulême	11	49,500	4,500	6,500	3,000	56%
Valence Romans	12	42,500	3,542	5,500	2,000	23%
Vannes	11	82,655	7,514	8,641	7,000	79%

Leading scorers

Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.

Top points scorers

^[44]

Rank	Player	Club	Games	Points
1			21	255
2			19	211
3			15	192
4			17	181
5			16	180
6	Thomas Girard		13	166
7			17	164
8			19	156
9			16	154
10			12	140
10			11	134
12			12	130
13			14	122

Top try scorers

^[45]

Rank	Player	Club	Games	Tries
1			17	9
			18	9
2			15	8
			17	8
3			4	6
			9	6
			12	6
			17	6
			18	6
			18	6
			19	6
			19	6
			21	6
			22	6
4				15	5
			16	5
			18	5
			19	5
	5			8	4
				10	4
				11	4
				11	4
			12	4

See also

• 2019–20 Top 14 season

External links

• Ligue Nationale de Rugby – Official website
• Midi Olympique

Notes and References

1. Web site: Top 14 - Pro D2 : les présidents d'accord pour ne pas attribuer de titre. L'Equipe. 6 May 2020.
2. Web site: French try out new bonus point system . Planet-Rugby.com . 27 June 2007 . 13 August 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070929120105/http://www.planet-rugby.com/Story/0%2C18259%2C3559_2450951%2C00.html . 29 September 2007 .
3. Web site: Article 330, Section 3.2. Points "terrain" . Règlements de la Ligue Nationale de Rugby 2008/2009, Chapitre 2 : Règlement sportif du Championnat de France Professionnel . . French . 27 August 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120217084857/http://www.lnr.fr/omm/upload/3%20-%20Titre%20II%20-%20Reglement%20sportif%202008%20-2009.pdf . 17 February 2012 .
4. Web site: Article 330, Section 3.2. Points "terrain" et points de bonus. Statuts et Reglements de la Ligue Nationale de Rugby 2014/2015, Chapitre 2 : Règlement sportif des championnats profesionnels . Ligue Nationale de Rugby . French . 166 . 2014-08-26.
5. Web site: French rugby enjoys a popularity boom as it looks to the future . Gavin . Mortimer . Rugby World . 18 August 2016 . 12 February 2017.
6. Web site: 1ère journée. L'Equipe. 25 August 2019.
7. Web site: 2e journée. L'Equipe. 1 September 2019.
8. Web site: 3e journée. L'Equipe. 8 September 2019.
9. Web site: 4e journée. L'Equipe. 15 September 2019.
10. Web site: Aurillac-Montauban se jouera le week-end du 29 novembre. La Montagne. 11 October 2019.
11. Web site: Pro D2 : le match Nevers-Béziers reporté pour raison sanitaire. France Bleu. 26 September 2019.
12. Web site: L'USON fixée pour le report de son match contre Béziers. France 3 Régions. 11 October 2019.
13. Web site: 5e journée. L'Equipe. 27 September 2019.
14. Web site: Pro D2 : le match Montauban - Provence Rugby reporté. France Bleu. 3 October 2019.
15. Web site: Montauban – Provence Rugby : La nouvelle date connue. Provence Rugby. 11 October 2019.
16. Web site: 6e journée. L'Equipe. 6 October 2019.
17. Web site: 7e journée. L'Equipe. 13 October 2019.
18. Web site: 8e journée. L'Equipe. 20 October 2019.
19. Web site: 9e journée. L'Equipe. 3 November 2019.
20. Web site: 10e journée. L'Equipe. 10 November 2019.
21. Web site: 11e journée. L'Equipe. 17 November 2019.
22. Web site: 12e journée. L'Equipe. 24 November 2019.
23. Web site: 13e journée. L'Equipe. 8 December 2019.
24. Web site: 14e journée. L'Equipe. 15 December 2019.
25. Web site: 15e journée. L'Equipe. 22 December 2019.
26. Web site: 16e journée. L'Equipe. 12 January 2020.
27. Web site: 17e journée. L'Equipe. 19 January 2020.
28. Web site: Pro D2. Le match Carcassonne – Valence/Romans reporté en raison des inondations. Actu.fr. 23 January 2020.
29. Web site: 18e journée. L'Equipe. 26 January 2020.
30. Web site: 19e journée. L'Equipe. 2 February 2020.
31. Web site: 20e journée. L'Equipe. 16 February 2020.
32. Web site: 21e journée. L'Equipe. 23 February 2020.
33. Web site: Pro D2 : le match entre Soyaux-Angoulême et Nevers annulé en raison du vent. L'Equipe. 1 March 2020.
34. Web site: 22e journée. L'Equipe. 1 March 2020.
35. Web site: 23e journée. L'Equipe. 8 March 2020.
36. Web site: Coronavirus - L'USAP à l'arrêt, Top 14 et PRO D2 suspendus . France Bleu . 13 March 2020 .
37. Web site: 24e journée. L'Equipe. 29 March 2020.
38. Web site: 25e journée. L'Equipe. 3 April 2020.
39. Web site: 26e journée. L'Equipe. 10 April 2020.
40. Web site: 27e journée. L'Equipe. 17 April 2020.
41. Web site: 28e journée. L'Equipe. 24 April 2020.
42. Web site: 29e journée. L'Equipe. 8 May 2020.
43. Web site: 30e journée. L'Equipe. 15 May 2020.
44. Web site: Classement buteurs Pro D2 2019-2020 . L'Équipe . 8 March 2020.
45. Web site: RUGBY PRO D2 : STATISTIQUES DÉTAILLÉES SAISON 2019-2020 . Ligue Nationale Rugby . 8 March 2020.