LONG READ Why some in the FFR are mooting the Top 14 cuts clubs to aid the national cause

The opening two rounds of the Champions Cup was not a particularly good one for French clubs. Toulouse, Lyon, Bayonne, Clermont, Toulon, Castres and Pau all lost. It wasn’t all doom and gloom; there was double victory only for Bordeaux who, along with Toulouse and La Rochelle, between them have won the title for the last five seasons.

This trio take the tournament seriously, which is more than one can say for certain French clubs. Among some there has always been an indifference to European competition.

What counts is the Top 14, not just because of its greater prestige, in their eyes, but its financial importance. Lose every game in the Champions Cup, and there is no substantial financial penalty. Get relegated from the Top 14, however, and the economic repercussions are huge. Some clubs never recover. Look at Biarritz, Champions Cup runners-up in 2006 and 2010. They were relegated to the ProD2 a decade ago and are now a shadow of their former selves, lurching from one financial crisis to another.

The Top 14 is the goose that lays the golden egg for the clubs. Last year the LNR, the governing body, renegotiated the television rights with their long-standing broadcaster Canal Plus for the period 2027 to 2032 for €696 million, an increase of 14.7% on the current rights.

No wonder that the LNR’s director general was pleased. “The new increase in audiovisual rights…will enable professional rugby to look to the future with confidence and continue its momentum for growth,” said Emmanuel Eschalier.

By way of comparison, in May this year Premiership rugby in England agreed a five-year broadcasting deal with TNT Sports worth around £200m [€228m].

It is surely no coincidence that France’s 14 match winning streak – which encompassed the 2022 Grand Slam – came on the back of the Covid pandemic.

The French clubs are understandably protective of their goose; if that means sacrifices have to be made elsewhere, then so be it. Clermont, for example, sent a young side to the slaughter last weekend at Saracens, allowing their regulars a chance to rest before a busy Christmas period in the Top 14.

Others in France are increasingly worried that the Top 14 is sucking the lifeblood out of the sport. Fabien Galthie is one. The head coach of the national team wants more time to work with his players, a demand that has intensified in the wake of the recent poor results of the national team. France aren’t going backwards, but nor are they going forwards as Galthie would like. Since winning the Grand Slam in 2022 the Bleus have stagnated and Galthie blames a surfeit of rugby.

It is surely no coincidence that France’s 14 match winning streak – which encompassed the 2022 Grand Slam – came on the back of the Covid pandemic. The 2019-20 Top 14 season was terminated at the start of March 2020 and for six months France’s top stars had no choice but to put their feet up. It did their bodies a world of good.

Five years on, however, and the treadmill of French rugby is taking its toll. That’s why some within the FFR are mooting the idea of a Top 12. A recent report in Midi Olympique claimed the national team’s coaching staff are in favour of a reduction, which would slice four matches from the fixture list. “Solutions and balances need to be found,” said an unnamed source.

This has been a long period of peace and goodwill between the FFR and the LNR, in contrast to earlier in the century when the two bodies were often at each other’s throats. But the harmony might not last. They are currently negotiating a new agreement and that is why the question of trimming the Top 14 is being aired.

But if the FFR is favourable, the Top 14 clubs are not. None of their presidents want to see a reduction, according to Midi Olympique, because it would mean a reduction in revenue, not only in what they take on match days but also a likely cut in what Canal Plus are prepared to pay for the broadcasting rights.

Midi Olympique believes it would be wrong to tamper with the Top 14; if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. This is also the view of Pierre-Yves Revol, the president of Castres. He said that there other solutions to finding an equilibrium other than jettisoning two clubs from the Top 14.

The LNR’s director general, Emmanuel Eschalier, told Midi Olympique that for the moment no one from the FFR has broached the subject with him. He made clear his position, saying: “The Top 14 works very, very well.”

It has also been suggested that cutting the Top 14 by two clubs may have no effect on the international stars. Why? Because currently there are some weekends in November and during the spring when Top 14 matches are played on the same weekends as Test matches. If four weekends were freed up, the LNR may abandon this practice in order to let clubs field their international players.

Midi Olympique believes it would be wrong to tamper with the Top 14; if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. This is also the view of Pierre-Yves Revol, the president of Castres. He said that there other solutions to finding an equilibrium other than jettisoning two clubs from the Top 14. “We could question the format of the European cups, for example.”

The net result is the French have been doing that increasingly since South African clubs joined the tournament in 2022. “Of course we’re questioning the logic of the competition,” said Antoine Dupont last season, referring to the travelling involved. His Toulouse coach, Ugo Mola, said the presence of South African sides “distorts the competition a little”.

Only 7,000 fans were in the 51,000 seater Loftus Versfeld to see defending champions Bordeaux beat the Blues Bulls on the opening weekend. The banks of empty seats were not a good advert for the competition. On most Top 14 match days there isn’t a seat to be had in any house.