Top 14

The league is one of the three major professional leagues in Europe. Along with the English Premiership and the United Rugby Championship, the most successful European teams go forward to compete in the European Rugby Champions Cup, the pan-European championship which replaced the Heineken Cup after the 2013–14 season.

The first ever Top 14 final took place in 1892. It was between the two Paris-based sides, Stade Français and Racing Club de France. However, these were the only teams playing the competition that year, with the latter becoming the inaugural champions. Conseqeuently, the competition has been held on an annual basis since, except during WW1 and WW2. Toulouse is the most successful club in the competition with 23 titles.

ECONOMIC STRENGTH

Over recent years, the Top 14 has seen the economic strength of its clubs rise significantly. Aided by high attendance, large television rights contracts, public subsidies and the rise of the euro exchange rate, Top 14 clubs have seen their overall spending budget increase significantly. In 2011–2012, four clubs had a budget over 20 million euros: Toulouse (33), Clermont (24), Racing Métro [now Racing 92] (22), Stade Francais (21). The average salary of players in the Top 14 was estimated to have risen, in 2010, to $153,700. By comparison this was $123,000 in the English Premiership. The wealth of the Top 14 clubs has led them to attract a large number of international players, and to build teams with more strength in depth (in 2011, Top 14 clubs could have as many as 45 players, compared to 33 for Leicester Tigers, 2010 Premiership winner).

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