Playing in the Top 14 in France is a bit like painting the Forth Bridge, once you get to the very end, it is time to start again at the beginning.

A tournament that started on 7 September 2024 finished its league stage last night will now proceed to a knock-out format until it reaches the final in Paris on 28 June.

All this weekend’s Round 26 matches kicked off at the same time, 9pm (CET) in the interests of transparency. There was still plenty to play for, with the only certainty before the mass kick off’s began being the fact that Toulouse had topped the table and were guaranteed a semi-final in Lyon on 20/21 June, whatever happened on Saturday night.

The other guaranteed semi finalist still had to be settled, with only two teams in the frame, Bordeaux and Toulon.

With Bordeaux defeating bottom of the table Vannes they achieved second place in the table and along with it that other prized semi-final berth in Lyon.

Clubs ending up in the table between fourth and sixth will now play off in the ‘Barrages’ with the winners earning the two remaining semi-final spots… still with me ?

Well the outcome of a very late night in the Republic saw Toulon, Bayonne, Clermont and Castres qualifying for the barrages.

Following an intense night of action, Vannes were relegated to Pro D2 They will be sadly missed next season, as will their unique Breton identity and the warm welcome given to all and sundry at the ‘Rabine’.

Their place in the Top 14 will be taken by Montauban, who beat Grenoble 24-19 in the Pro D2 final.

Grenoble will now face the Top 14’s 13th place side Perpignan, who beat Toulouse 42-35 last night, with the winner getting a coveted top division spot for the 2025/2026 season.

So the knock-out stages of the top tier begin.

On Friday Bayonne face Clermont in the Barrages with the winner of that match playing Toulouse in the first semi-final in Lyon on Friday 20 June.

Next Saturday’s Barrage sees Toulon entertain Castres at the Mayol with the victor facing Bordeaux in the second Lyon semi on Saturday 21 June.

The final Top 14 table makes interesting reading La Rochelle missed out on the knock-out stages by a single point.

There will no doubt be plenty of spills and thrills ahead before the Final in Paris on Saturday 28 June.

The season that never ends is only just getting started.