So after 26 weeks of league action, the Top 14 in France reaches the business end of the season.

Last night’s final round of league matches revealed the teams that will compete in the knockout stages.

The Top 14 knockout stage, features the six highest-ranked teams from the regular season. The teams that finish 1st and 2nd earn a direct place in the semi-finals, 

Teams placed 3rd to 6th must first compete in the barrages (play-offs), with 3rd hosting 6th and 4th hosting 5th in single-elimination matches.

The winners of these play-off games advance to the semi-finals, where they face the top two seeds on neutral ground. 

The two semi-final winners then contest the Top 14 Final, with the victor crowned French rugby champion and awarded the famous and extremely large Bouclier de Brennus.

Toulouse and Montpellier finished 1st and 2nd so head straight to the semi-finals which will be held in Marseille on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 June. Their opponents will be determined by the winners of:

Saturday 13 June: Pau v Racing 92

Sunday 14 June: Stade Francais v La Rochelle

The semi-finals will therefore be

Friday 19 June: Toulouse v Pau/Racing 92

Saturday 20 June: Montpellier v Stade Francais/La Rochelle 

Perhaps the biggest shock is the fact that back to back European Champions Bordeaux failed to reach the knock-out stages, ending their season in 8th place.

A season that started way back on 6 September 2025 still has a fair way to run before the final in Paris on Saturday, June 27.

In other matters, Vannes will be playing in the Top 14 next season after defeating Provence in yesterday’s ProD2 final in Toulouse. 

Heading the other way are Montauban, relegated from the Top 14 after achieving just one win in a gruesome season that saw them accumulate 7 points. 

Provence will now face second from bottom in the Top 14 table Perpignan, the winner awarded a place in the Top 14 for the 2026/27 season.

The final Top 14 league table