French heatwave could see Top 14 Final played at record temperatures

The Top 14 Final in Paris could be played at record-breaking temperatures this Saturday night as France continues to be gripped by a severe heatwave.

Despite the game kicking off at 9 pm local time, Montpellier and Toulouse could be playing in soaring temperatures, with it forecast to be as hot as 34 degrees at kick-off in Saint-Denis at the Stade de France.

The conditions are similar to the scenes seen in Bilbao during the EPCR Challenge Cup and Investec Champions Cup final last month, where matches kicked off at 31 and 34 degrees.

The French government has raised the national health alert to its highest level as extreme weather sweeps across Europe.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed the activation of level three of the Orsan health emergency plan, while Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire noted a rising mortality rate in the capital.

Fixture

Top 14

Toulouse

28 - 20

Full-time

Montpellier

All Stats and Data

As many as 40 people are understood to have drowned since the heatwave began, after taking to the water to escape the temperatures that rose as high as 44 degrees.

Indeed, Météo-France recorded an average minimum temperature of 22 degrees on Wednesday night, with Rennes hitting a record 41 degrees earlier in the week.

For the Top 14 Final, these conditions present a serious physical challenge for the players.

The Top 14 organisers will likely need to implement cooling breaks to ensure player welfare, as was the case during the Champions Cup final in Spain.

As France continues to bake under what meteorologists are calling an historic heatwave, the focus on Saturday night will not just be on the rugby, but on how both teams manage the hellish conditions in pursuit of the Bouclier de Brennus.

Toulouse are chasing a 25th Bouclier de Brennus and what would be a fourth consecutive title, with Jack Willis and Blair Kinghorn central to Ugo Mola’s plans. Montpellier, meanwhile, are bringing Billy Vunipola, Adam Beard and Ali Price to Saint-Denis with every intention of ending Les Rouge et Noir’s reign.

Vunipola, who bagged a try in Montpellier’s 59-26 Challenge Cup final demolition of Ulster, has been in the form of his career since moving to the south of France in 2024.