Fédérale 1

Le championnat de France de première division fédérale, a.k.a. Fédérale 1, is a French rugby union club competition, the highest level of amateur rugby. The competition has been organised by the Fédération Française de Rugby since 2000, when it replaced the B2 Group. The championship is contested between 48 teams and named in honor of the famous former FC Lourdes and French International player, Jean Prat.

Format

The format is long-winded and includes many steps.

Preliminary phase

8 teams compete on a double round-robin basis (14 games) in each of the 6 groups. The top 4 teams of each group move into the play-offs (Trophée Jean-Prat), the bottom 4 move into play-downs.

Second phase

• Play-downs

The lowest ranked 24 teams from the preliminary phase play another round-robin competition in 4 groups of 6. Points scored in the preliminary phase are kept. Teams only play teams from other groups. The top 2 teams of each group move on to a sudden death competition (quarter-finals, semi-finals, final), at the end of which an honorary title is awarded. The bottom 3 teams of each group (12 in all) are relegated to Fédérale 2.

• Play-offs

The top 24 teams from the preliminary phase play another round-robin competition in 6 groups of 4. Points scored in the preliminary phase are not kept. Teams only play teams from other groups. The best four top clubs are automatically qualified for the quarter finals. The other two top clubs and the six n°2 clubs have to fight it out in a play-off game to get into the quarter finals. The two finalists are promoted to Pro D2 and play for the championship.

At the end of each season, two teams are promoted to Pro D2, and 12 relegated into Fédérale 2.

2013–14 composition

Jean-Prat results (2007-08)

The first semi-final two-leg series of the Jean-Prat would see Périgueux face off against tournament favorites Colomiers. The first leg ended in a draw 12-12 with no tries scored and every point on the board put up by penalty kicks. In the second leg, Colomiers still couldn't manage to figure out Périgueux, but managed to eventually defeat them 9-6 to move on to the final.

The second semi-final two-leg series would see Aix-en-Provence against US Bressane (Bourg-en-Bresse). Mathieu Chabaud opened with a drop goal for US Bressane and it took Aix-en-Provence 20 minutes to respond with a try by Mohamed Berrabah. The match continued with several drops and penalties until US Bressane's Tsepo Kokoali scored a try in the 73rd minute. However, Aix-en-Provence sealed the first leg victory with another penalty kick making the final score 22-17.

US Bressane would show their class in the second leg by overcoming the odds and defeating Aix-en-Provence 14-3, allowing them to seal a place in the final based on the aggregate score. This assures promotion to Pro D2 for the 2008–09 season along with Colomiers.

On June 8, the final of the Jean-Prat took place. Colomiers struck early with a try in the fourth minute by Morgan Saout, but US Bressane's Mathieu Chabaud took 3 points back with a penalty kick 11 minutes later. The score at the end of the first half was 5-3 to Colomiers. Early into the second half, Pascal Vignard scored a try for Colomiers and Frédéric Pujo completed the following conversion that distanced the scoreline even more. With the match seemingly all wrapped up with less than 5 minutes to play, US Bressane caved and allowed 3 tries in that short time span. The final score 36-3 to Colomiers, the champions of Fédérale 1 in 2008.

Play-down results (2007-08)

The final between Lourdes and La Seyne was, for the majority, a defensive match and offensive struggle. The match ended with a low score as a result of this with a try by Stéphane Arriat for Lourdes in the 59th minute followed by a missed conversion. Then, in the 73rd minute, Sébastien Decarre scored a penalty kick for La Seyne that made the match final score 5-3, giving Lourdes the title.

Promoted to Rugby Pro D2 (2007-08)

• Colomiers
• US Bressane

Relegated from Fédérale 1 (2007-08)

• Cergy-Pontoise
• Chambéry
• Fleurance
• Graulhet
• Miélan-Mirande
• Millau
• Nafarroa
• Nice Rugby
• Orthez
• Poitiers
• Rumilly
• Villeurbanne

Jean-Prat Past Champions

• 2014–15: Pays d'Aix RC
• 2013–14: US Montauban
• 2012–13: US Bressane
• 2011–12: US Colomiers
• 2010–11: AS Béziers
• 2009–10: US Carcassonne
• 2008–09: CA Lannemezan
• 2007–08: US Colomiers
• 2006–07: Stade Aurillacois
• 2005–06: UA Gaillac
• 2004–05: US Colomiers
• 2003–04: Pays d'Aix RC
• 2002–03: USA Limoges
• 2001–02: Lyon OU
• 2000–01: Oyonnax Rugby