2008–09 Rugby Pro D2 season

The 2008–09 Rugby Pro D2 was the second-level French rugby union club competition, behind the Top 14, in the 2008–09 season. It ran alongside the 2008–09 Top 14 competition; both competitions were operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).

Previous season

At the end of the previous season, Toulon were champions and thus automatically promoted to Top 14. They were eventually followed by Mont-de-Marsan, who beat Racing Métro in extra time in the final providing the second promotion place. Blagnac, which had been newly promoted to Pro D2 for the 2007–08 season, finished bottom of the table and were initially relegated to Fédérale 1, but were further relegated by French sporting authorities to Fédérale 2 due to financial problems. Limoges finished second-from-bottom for the second consecutive year; unlike 2006–07, when Limoges were reprieved when Gaillac were denied a professional license due to financial issues, they received no such break in 2007–08. The other promoted team in 2007–08, Aurillac, stayed up, finishing in 11th.

Colomiers and Bourg-en-Bresse earned promotion from Fédérale 1 for the 2008–09 season, while Albi and Auch were relegated from the 2007–08 Top 14.

2008–09 synopsis

Racing Métro, which had barely missed out on promotion the previous season, easily won the title, clinching with three rounds to spare. The three promotion playoff games were decided by a total of 5 points, with the semifinal between Albi and La Rochelle being tied after extra time and decided on the third step of the tiebreaker, penalties scored during the match. Albi ultimately defeated Oyonnax in the final to secure an immediate return to the Top 14.

The two newly promoted teams, Colomiers and Bourg-en-Bresse, were in relegation trouble throughout the season, but Colomiers escaped, finishing in 14th, the last safe spot. Bourg-en-Bresse were provisionally joined in relegation by Béziers.

However, this did not end the relegation saga. In order to keep a professional license and stay in Pro D2, all clubs must pass a postseason audit conducted by DNACG (Direction nationale d'aide et de contrôle de gestion), the LNR's financial arm. On June 12, DNACG announced that Tarbes and Bourg-en-Bresse had failed their audits and would be relegated. Tarbes would be relegated to Fédérale 1, while Bourg-en-Bresse, already consigned to Fédérale 1, would face a further drop to Fédérale 2.^[1] Béziers would have been spared the drop if Tarbes had not successfully appealed its relegation. However, Tarbes were able to come up with sufficient financial guarantees to satisfy DNACG, and its relegation to Fédérale 1 was officially rescinded on June 26.^[2]

The competition

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,^[3] a system that also makes it impossible for either team to earn a bonus point in a drawn match. LNR chose to continue with this system for 2008–09.^[4]

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 7 points (or less).

Season table

Schedule and results

Matches are listed in the following order:

By date.
If matches are held on the same day, by kickoff time.
Otherwise, in alphabetic order of home club.

All times CET.

Rounds 1 to 5

Round 1

6 September, 18:30 — Aurillac 11 - 6 (1 BP) Albi
6 September, 18:30 — Béziers 15 - 15 Pau
6 September, 18:30 — Grenoble (1 BP) 31 - 6 Colomiers
6 September, 18:30 — La Rochelle 30 - 12 Oyonnax
6 September, 18:30 — Lyon 18 - 9 Racing Métro
6 September, 18:30 — Narbonne 6 - 6 Tarbes
7 September, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse (1 BP) 18 - 25 Bordeaux-Bègles
7 September, 15:15 — Agen 30 - 16 Auch

Round 2

13 September, 18:30 — Albi 26 - 19 (1 BP) Grenoble
13 September, 18:30 — Auch 21 - 16 (1 BP) Narbonne
13 September, 18:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles 24 - 12 Béziers
13 September, 18:30 — Colomiers 20 - 6 Lyon
13 September, 18:30 — Pau 27 - 15 Agen
13 September, 18:30 — Tarbes (1 BP) 15 - 16 Aurillac
14 September, 15:00 — Racing Métro 12 - 9 (1 BP) La Rochelle
14 September, 16:00 — Oyonnax (1 BP) 38 - 8 Bourg-en-Bresse

Round 3

20 September, 18:30 — Agen 26 - 19 (1 BP) Oyonnax
20 September, 18:30 — Aurillac (1 BP) 49 - 19 Bordeaux-Bègles
20 September, 18:30 — La Rochelle 15 - 12 (1 BP) Auch
20 September, 18:30 — Lyon (1 BP) 56 - 3 Tarbes
20 September, 18:30 — Narbonne 16 - 25 Racing Métro
21 September, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse (1 BP) 12 - 18 Albi
21 September, 15:00 — Grenoble 22 - 9 Pau
21 September, 15:15 — Colomiers (1 BP) 38 - 17 Béziers

Round 4

27 September, 18:30 — Albi 28 - 22 (1 BP) Narbonne
27 September, 18:30 — Auch 24 - 6 Bourg-en-Bresse
27 September, 18:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles (1 BP) 22 - 23 La Rochelle
27 September, 18:30 — Oyonnax 22 - 15 (1 BP) Lyon
27 September, 18:30 — Pau 30 - 23 (1 BP) Colomiers
27 September, 18:30 — Racing Métro (1 BP) 35 - 16 Aurillac
27 September, 18:30 — Tarbes 34 - 24 Agen
28 September, 15:15 — Béziers 16 - 25 Grenoble

Round 5

4 October, 18:30 — Agen (1 BP) 14 - 17 Bordeaux-Bègles
4 October, 18:30 — Aurillac 30 - 26 (1 BP) Oyonnax
4 October, 18:30 — Béziers 22 - 19 (1 BP) Auch
4 October, 18:30 — Colomiers 15 - 15 Narbonne
4 October, 18:30 — Grenoble (1 BP)10 - 16 Racing Métro
4 October, 18:30 — Lyon (1 BP) 15 - 22 (1 BP) Albi
5 October, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse 22 - 16 (1 BP) Tarbes
5 October, 15:15 — La Rochelle 18 - 14 (1 BP) Pau

Rounds 6 to 10

Round 6

18 October, 18:30 — Agen (1 BP) 62 - 9 Bourg-en-Bresse
18 October, 18:30 — Albi 29 - 22 (1 BP) La Rochelle
18 October, 18:30 — Auch 15 - 9 (1 BP) Grenoble
18 October, 18:30 — Narbonne 26 - 17 Bordeaux-Bègles
18 October, 18:30 — Oyonnax 16 - 3 Pau
18 October, 18:30 — Racing Métro (1 BP) 37 - 9 Béziers
18 October, 18:30 — Tarbes 25 - 10 Colomiers
19 October, 14:00 — Lyon 19 - 13 (1 BP) Aurillac

Round 7

25 October, 18:30 — Béziers 9 - 30 (1 BP) Oyonnax
25 October, 18:30 — Grenoble 23 - 19 (1 BP) Tarbes
25 October, 18:30 — La Rochelle (1 BP) 23 - 18 (1 BP) Lyon
25 October, 18:30 — Narbonne 25 - 22 (1 BP) Agen
25 October, 18:30 — Pau 16 - 15 (1 BP) Racing Métro
26 October, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse 11 - 20 Aurillac
26 October, 15:00 — Colomiers 24 - 15 Auch
26 October, 15:15 — Bordeaux-Bègles 19 - 6 Albi

Round 8

1 November, 18:30 — Agen 18 - 12 (1 BP) Grenoble
1 November, 18:30 — Auch 17 - 12 (1 BP) Pau
1 November, 18:30 — Aurillac (1 BP) 31 - 9 Narbonne
1 November, 18:30 — La Rochelle (1 BP) 56 - 18 Bourg-en-Bresse
1 November, 18:30 — Lyon 12 - 10 (1 BP) Béziers
1 November, 18:30 — Oyonnax 16 - 16 Albi
1 November, 18:30 — Tarbes 31 - 15 Bordeaux
2 November, 16:45 — Racing Métro 9 - 8 (1 BP) Colomiers

Round 9

8 November, 18:30 — Albi 30 - 20 Colomiers
8 November, 18:30 — Aurillac 25 - 19 (1 BP) La Rochelle
8 November, 18:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles (1 BP) 14 - 18 Pau
8 November, 18:30 — Grenoble 21 - 20 (1 BP) Lyon
8 November, 18:30 — Narbonne 22 - 21 (1 BP) Bourg-en-Bresse
8 November, 18:30 — Oyonnax 25 - 9 Auch
8 November, 18:30 — Tarbes (1 BP) 16 - 23 Racing Métro
9 November, 15:15 — Béziers 21 - 16 (1 BP) Agen

Round 10

15 November, 18:30 — Agen 19 - 16 (1 BP) La Rochelle
15 November, 18:30 — Albi 18 - 12 (1 BP) Tarbes
15 November, 18:30 — Auch 15 - 5 Bordeaux-Bègles
15 November, 18:30 — Colomiers 15 - 30 (1 BP) Aurillac
15 November, 18:30 — Pau 21 - 16 (1 BP) Lyon
15 November, 18:30 — Racing Métro 31 - 20 Oyonnax
16 November, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse 9 - 3 (1 BP) Béziers
16 November, 15:15 — Narbonne 6 - 3 (1 BP) Grenoble

Rounds 11 to 15

Round 11

29 November, 18:30 — Agen 36 - 17 Colomiers
29 November, 18:30 — Aurillac 29 - 22 (1 BP) Grenoble
29 November, 18:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles 15 - 9 (1 BP) Oyonnax
29 November, 18:30 — La Rochelle (1 BP) 33 - 9 Béziers
29 November, 18:30 — Lyon 14 - 13 (1 BP) Narbonne
29 November, 18:30 — Pau 22 - 9 Bourg-en-Bresse
30 November, 15:15 — Tarbes 26 - 12 Auch
30 November, 16:30 — Racing Métro (1 BP) 36 - 17 Albi

Round 12

6 December, 18:30 — Albi 16 - 13 (1 BP) Pau
6 December, 18:30 — Béziers 25 - 16 Aurillac
6 December, 18:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles 33 - 12 Colomiers
6 December, 18:30 — Grenoble 12 - 12 Bourg-en-Bresse
6 December, 18:30 — Lyon (1 BP) 12 - 13 Agen
6 December, 18:30 — Narbonne 33 - 16 La Rochelle
6 December, 18:30 — Oyonnax 12 - 6 (1 BP) Tarbes
7 December, 15:15 — Auch 22 - 18 (1 BP) Racing Métro

Round 13

13 December, 18:30 — Albi 20 - 14 (1 BP) Auch
13 December, 18:30 — Aurillac (1 BP) 16 - 20 Agen
13 December, 18:30 — Colomiers 24 - 16 (1 BP) Oyonnax
13 December, 18:30 — Pau (1 BP) 33 - 3 Narbonne
13 December, 18:30 — Racing Métro (1 BP) 22 - 6 Bordeaux-Bègles
13 December, 18:30 — Tarbes 23 - 10 Béziers
14 December, 14:30 — Grenoble 14 - 6 La Rochelle
14 December, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse (1 BP) 18 - 23 Lyon

Round 14

20 December, 18:30 — Auch 11 - 9 (1 BP) Aurillac
20 December, 18:30 — La Rochelle (1 BP) 32 - 9 Colomiers
20 December, 18:30 — Narbonne (1 BP) 34 - 8 Béziers
20 December, 18:30 — Oyonnax 9 - 3 (1 BP) Grenoble
20 December, 18:30 — Pau 12 - 11 (1 BP) Tarbes
21 December, 14:30 — Bourg-en-Bresse (1 BP) 10 - 17 Racing Métro
21 December, 15:00 — Bordeaux-Bègles 28 - 37 (1 BP) Lyon
21 December, 15:15 — Agen 20 - 8 Albi

Round 15

10 January, 18:30 — Béziers 21 - 21 Albi
10 January, 18:30 — Colomiers 13 - 3 Bourg-en-Bresse
10 January, 18:30 — Grenoble 13 - 12 (1 BP) Bordeaux-Bègles
10 January, 18:30 — Tarbes (1 BP) 10 - 12 La Rochelle
11 January, 15:00 — Oyonnax (1 BP) 42 - 17 Narbonne
11 January, 15:15 — Lyon 9 - 3 (1 BP) Auch
14 February, 18:30 — Aurillac 13 - 22 Pau
15 February, 14:00 — Racing Métro 32 - 28 (1 BP) Agen

Rounds 16 to 20

Round 16

17 January, 18:30 — Auch 12 - 20 Agen
17 January, 18:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles (1 BP) 45 - 12 Bourg-en-Bresse
17 January, 18:30 — Oyonnax 18 - 12 (1 BP) La Rochelle
17 January, 18:30 — Pau 27 - 14 Béziers
17 January, 18:30 — Tarbes 27 - 8 Narbonne
18 January, 14:15 — Albi (1 BP) 28 - 12 Aurillac
18 January, 15:00 — Colomiers 12 - 6 (1 BP) Grenoble
18 January, 15:00 — Racing Métro (1 BP) 30 - 6 Lyon

Round 17

24 January, 18:30 — La Rochelle 22 - 11 Racing Métro
24 January, 18:30 — Lyon 9 - 9 Colomiers
25 January, 14:30 — Agen 28 - 14 Pau
25 January, 15:00 — Aurillac 17 - 37 Tarbes
25 January, 15:00 — Béziers 18 - 12 (1 BP) Bordeaux-Bègles
25 January, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse (1 BP) 3 - 9 Oyonnax
25 January, 15:00 — Grenoble (1 BP) 9 - 13 Albi
25 January, 15:30 — Narbonne (1 BP) 6 - 13 Auch

Round 18

31 January, 18:30 — Albi (1 BP) 31 - 18 Bourg-en-Bresse
31 January, 18:30 — Auch (1 BP) 5 - 6 La Rochelle
31 January, 18:30 — Béziers 12 - 6 (1 BP) Colomiers
31 January, 18:30 — Pau 9 - 8 (1 BP) Grenoble
31 January, 18:30 — Tarbes 19 - 16 (1 BP) Lyon
1 February, 14:45 — Oyonnax 19 - 3 Agen
1 February, 15:00 — Racing Métro (1 BP) 37 - 10 Narbonne
1 February, 15:15 — Bordeaux-Bègles 29 - 18 Aurillac

Round 19

7 February, 15:00 — Narbonne 10 - 9 (1 BP) Albi
7 February, 16:00 — Grenoble 12 - 8 (1 BP) Béziers
7 February, 16:00 — Lyon 9 - 6 (1 BP) Oyonnax
8 February, 15:00 — Agen (1 BP) 45 - 23 Tarbes
8 February, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse (1 BP) 36 - 0 Auch
8 February, 15:00 — Colomiers 18 - 13 (1 BP) Pau
8 February, 15:00 — La Rochelle (1 BP) 13 -16 Bordeaux-Bègles
8 February, 17:15 — Aurillac 16 - 35 Racing Métro

Round 20

21 February, 18:30 — Albi 19 - 13 (1 BP) Lyon
21 February, 18:30 — Auch (1 BP) 32 - 8 Béziers
21 February, 18:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles 37 - 28 Agen
21 February, 18:30 — Narbonne 37 - 24 Colomiers
21 February, 18:30 — Oyonnax (1 BP) 34 - 7 Aurillac
21 February, 18:30 — Tarbes (1 BP) 59 - 9 Bourg-en-Bresse
22 February, 15:00 — Racing Métro 15 - 7 Grenoble
22 February, 15:15 — Pau 20 - 19 (1 BP) La Rochelle

Rounds 21 to 25

Round 21

28 February, 18:30 — Aurillac 18 - 9 Lyon
28 February, 18:30 — Béziers 19 - 51 (1 BP) Racing Métro
28 February, 18:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles 26 - 22 Narbonne
28 February, 18:30 — Colomiers 20 - 16 (1 BP) Tarbes
28 February, 18:30 — Grenoble 26 - 3 Auch
28 February, 18:30 — Pau 15 - 12 (1 BP) Oyonnax
1 March, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse 18 - 65 (1 BP) Agen
1 March, 15:15 — La Rochelle 19 - 16 (1 BP) Albi

Round 22

7 March, 18:30 — Agen 20 - 6 Narbonne
7 March, 18:30 — Albi 20 - 17 (1 BP) Bordeaux-Bègles
7 March, 18:30 — Auch 17 - 12 (1 BP) Colomiers
7 March, 18:30 — Aurillac 23 - 17 (1 BP) Bourg-en-Bresse
7 March, 18:30 — Lyon 27 - 12 La Rochelle
7 March, 18:30 — Racing Métro 28 - 10 Pau
7 March, 18:30 — Tarbes 10 - 3 (1 BP) Grenoble
8 March, 15:45 — Oyonnax (1 BP) 35 - 6 Béziers

Round 23

14 March, 18:30 — Béziers 17 - 56 (1 BP) Lyon
14 March, 18:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles 12 - 27 Tarbes
14 March, 18:30 — Colomiers 19 - 27 Racing Métro
14 March, 18:30 — Grenoble (1 BP) 16 - 20 Agen
14 March, 18:30 — Narbonne 23 - 23 Aurillac
14 March, 18:30 — Pau 25 - 14 Auch
15 March, 14:00 — Albi 30 - 13 Oyonnax
15 March, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse 20 - 38 (1 BP) La Rochelle

Round 24

21 March, 18:30 — Agen (1 BP) 51 - 16 Béziers
21 March, 18:30 — Auch 15 - 12 (1 BP) Oyonnax
21 March, 18:30 — La Rochelle 33 - 19 Aurillac
21 March, 18:30 — Pau (1 BP) 22 - 27 Bordeaux-Bègles
21 March, 18:30 — Racing Métro 25 - 16 Tarbes
22 March, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse 24 - 16 Narbonne
22 March, 15:00 — Colomiers (1 BP) 31 - 37 Albi
22 March, 15:15 — Lyon (1 BP) 45 - 6 Grenoble

Round 25

4 April, 18:30 — Aurillac 25 - 15 Colomiers
4 April, 18:30 — Béziers (1 BP) 23 - 26 Bourg-en-Bresse
4 April, 18:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles 25 - 8 Auch
4 April, 18:30 — Grenoble 23 - 16 (1 BP) Narbonne
4 April, 18:30 — La Rochelle (1 BP) 23 - 25 Agen
4 April, 18:30 — Lyon 25 - 12 Pau
4 April, 18:30 — Tarbes 20 - 11 Albi
5 April, 15:15 — Oyonnax 28 - 13 Racing Métro

Rounds 26 to 30

Round 26

11 April, 18:30 — Auch 6 - 16 Tarbes
11 April, 18:30 — Béziers 15 - 9 (1 BP) La Rochelle
11 April, 18:30 — Grenoble (1 BP) 17 - 20 Aurillac
11 April, 18:30 — Narbonne 6 - 26 Lyon
11 April, 19:00 — Oyonnax 18 - 17 (1 BP) Bordeaux-Bègles
12 April, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse 31 - 12 Pau
12 April, 15:00 — Colomiers 19 - 28 Agen
12 April, 16:00 — Albi 14 - 26 Racing Métro

Round 27

18 April, 18:30 — Aurillac 25 - 24 (1 BP) Béziers
18 April, 18:30 — Colomiers (1 BP) 44 - 16 Bordeaux-Bègles
18 April, 18:30 — La Rochelle (1 BP) 37 - 16 Narbonne
18 April, 18:30 — Pau 11 - 3 Albi
18 April, 18:30 — Racing Métro (1 BP) 35 - 13 Auch
18 April, 18:30 — Tarbes 24 - 15 Oyonnax
19 April, 15:00 — Bourg-en-Bresse 19 - 6 Grenoble
19 April, 15:15 — Agen (1 BP) 25 - 0 Lyon

Round 28

25 April, 18:30 — Agen 23 - 12 Aurillac
25 April, 18:30 — Auch (1 BP) 7 - 11 Albi
25 April, 18:30 — Béziers 35 - 19 Tarbes
25 April, 18:30 — La Rochelle 23 - 7 Grenoble
25 April, 18:30 — Lyon (1 BP) 27 - 10 Bourg-en-Bresse
25 April, 18:30 — Narbonne 21 - 15 (1 BP) Pau
25 April, 18:30 — Oyonnax 27 - 16 Colomiers
26 April, 17:30 — Bordeaux-Bègles 12 - 33 (1 BP) Racing Métro

Round 29

2 May, 18:30 — Albi 30 - 23 (1 BP) Agen
2 May, 18:30 — Aurillac 37 - 36 (1 BP) Auch
2 May, 18:30 — Béziers 37 - 18 Narbonne
2 May, 18:30 — Grenoble 10 - 18 Oyonnax
2 May, 18:30 — Lyon (1 BP) 30 - 10 Bordeaux-Bègles
2 May, 18:30 — Racing Métro (1 BP) 48 - 32 Bourg-en-Bresse
2 May, 18:30 — Tarbes 23 - 22 (1 BP) Pau
3 May, 14:15 — Colomiers 15 - 29 La Rochelle (1 BP)

Round 30

17 May, 14:15 — Agen 32 - 17 Racing Métro
17 May, 14:15 — Albi (1 BP) 24 - 6 Béziers
17 May, 14:15 — Auch (1 BP) 10 - 12 Lyon
17 May, 14:15 — Bordeaux-Bègles (1 BP) 19 - 21 Grenoble
17 May, 14:15 — Bourg-en-Bresse (1 BP) 52 - 27 Colomiers
17 May, 14:15 — La Rochelle 19 - 13 (1 BP) Tarbes
17 May, 14:15 — Narbonne 16 - 29 Oyonnax
17 May, 14:15 — Pau (1 BP) 16 - 19 Aurillac

Promotion playoffs

All times CEST.

Semi-finals

^1 In the case of a draw at the end of extra-time, the team who has received the fewer red cards goes through. If the number of red cards is the same for both teams, the team that has scored the more tries, then the more penalties qualifies. Albi went through thanks to their 5 penalties to La Rochelle's 4.

Final

Notes and references

^ "Bourgoin reste parmi l'élite" (in French). L'Équipe. 12 June 2009. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
^ "News: Tarbes escape relegation from ProD2 after cash boost; France ring the changes". FrenchRugbyClub.com. 2009-06-26. Retrieved 2009-07-10.
^ "French try out new bonus point system". Planet-Rugby.com. 2007-06-27. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
^ a b "Article 330, Section 3.2. Points "terrain"" (PDF). Règlements de la Ligue Nationale de Rugby 2008/2009, Chapitre 2 : Règlement sportif du Championnat de France Professionnel (in French). Ligue Nationale de Rugby. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-17. Retrieved 2008-08-27.

External links

LNR.fr