The final round of the 2025 Top 14 regular season delivered playoff drama, emotional farewells, and a flurry of tries across France.
Bayonne sealed their first postseason appearance in over three decades, Bordeaux punched their ticket with a nine-try demolition, and Clermont completed the playoff puzzle with a clutch away win.
At the other end, Vannes were relegated, while Perpignan’s stunning win over Toulouse wasn’t enough to avoid a relegation playoff.
- Bayonne 18 – 10 Toulon
- Lyon 34 – 47 Racing 92
- Montpellier 10 – 23 Clermont
- Pau 32 – 18 La Rochelle
- Stade Français 21 – 10 Castres
- Union Bordeaux-Bègles 59 – 28 Vannes
- Perpignan 42 – 35 Toulouse
Here are all the Round 26 match recaps and highlights:
BAYONNE DEFEAT TOULON TO CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT AND STAY UNBEATEN AT HOME
Bayonne 18 – 10 Toulon (HT: 15–3)
Bayonne made history on Saturday night, defeating Toulon 18–10 at a roaring Stade Jean-Dauger to clinch a long-awaited Top 14 playoff berth—their first in 33 years. In doing so, they also preserved their perfect home record for the season and secured a home quarter-final clash against Clermont. The Basques struck first through the boot of Joris Segonds before igniting the crowd with a stunning team try finished in the corner by Santiago Carreras. Just before halftime, it was the departing hero Maxime Rouet who delivered a fairytale moment in his final home match, racing down the touchline off a maul to score Bayonne’s second try and put them firmly in control. Toulon, plagued by handling errors and injuries—including early exits for Manu Tuilagi (ribs) and Gabin Villière (concussion)—struggled to convert pressure into points. Melvyn Jaminet’s penalty was all they could muster in the first half. Late in the game, Segonds added a second penalty to make it 18–3 before Toulon’s Matteo Le Corvec finally crossed in the 79th minute. But it was too little, too late. Bayonne finish the regular season fourth and will now host Clermont, while Toulon (third) will welcome Castres in the playoffs.
BAYONNE
- Tries: Carreras (32’), Rouet (40’)
- Conversions: Segonds (40’)
- Penalties: Segonds (5’, 75’)
TOULON
- Tries: Le Corvec (80’)
- Conversions: Jaminet (80’)
- Penalties: Jaminet (38’)
RACING 92 DOMINATE SECOND HALF TO STUN LYON IN SEVEN-TRY COMEBACK
Lyon 34 – 47 Racing 92 (HT: 24–12)
Racing 92 mounted a stunning second-half comeback to defeat Lyon 47–34 at Matmut Stadium on Saturday night, ending their season with a sixth away win. Trailing 24–12 at the break after a powerful first-half performance from the hosts, the Parisians unleashed a 37–10 scoring blitz in the second forty to flip the match on its head. Lyon had opened with intent, as Semi Radradra scored early before Monty Ioane and a dominant pack added two more tries, including a brace from hooker Yanis Charcosset. However, Racing stayed in reach with key first-half scores from Kléo Labarbe and Sam James. The second half belonged entirely to the visitors. Henry Arundell intercepted and raced away to score just after the restart, sparking a turnaround that saw Labarbe grab his second, Romain Taofifenua power over, and Tristan Tedder kick two late penalties. In a poetic ending, club legend Henry Chavancy slotted the final penalty of his career to seal an emotional farewell and a famous win. Despite moments of brilliance, both teams fall short of playoff qualification, with inconsistency ultimately costing them.
LYON
- Tries: Radradra (4’), Ioane (21’), Charcosset (28’, 37’), Ainsley (47’)
- Conversions: Berdeu (5’, 22’, 48’)
- Penalties: Berdeu (56’)
RACING 92
- Tries: Labarbe (31’, 54’), James (39’), Arundell (43’, 57’), Taofifenua (64’)
- Conversions: Gibert (32’, 39’, 44’, 55’)
- Penalties: Tedder (70’, 77’), Chavancy (80’)
CLERMONT CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT WITH CONTROLLED WIN OVER MONTPELLIER
Montpellier 10 – 23 Clermont (HT: 3–17)
Clermont booked their place in the Top 14 barrages with a commanding 23–10 win over Montpellier at the GGL Stadium on Saturday night, capping off a must-win performance to close the regular season. The victory, combined with defeats for La Rochelle and Castres, sealed fifth place for Christophe Urios’ side and a quarter-final trip to Bayonne. Thomas Ceyte opened the scoring in the 6th minute after pouncing on a costly Montpellier error. Clermont then turned the screw with a penalty try just before the half-hour mark, punishing MHR’s struggling discipline. With a 17–3 halftime lead, the visitors remained in control, and a penalty from Benjamin Urdapilleta early in the second half extended the gap. Montpellier sparked a brief comeback when Wilfrid Hounkpatin crashed over in the 64th minute, but the Jaunards kept their composure despite a yellow card to Thibaud Lanen. They closed out the match without conceding again, earning just their third away win of the season and a shot at the semi-finals.
MONTPELLIER
- Tries: Hounkpatin (64’)
- Conversions: Reus (65’)
- Penalties: Bouthier (5’)
CLERMONT
- Tries: Ceyte (6’), Penalty Try (30’)
- Conversions: Urdapilleta (7’)
- Penalties: Urdapilleta (20’, 48’), Belleau (74’)
PAU STUN LA ROCHELLE TO SEAL CHAMPIONS CUP SPOT AND CLOSE OUT A TRANSFORMATIVE SEASON
Pau 32 – 18 La Rochelle (HT: 8–10)
Pau produced a stirring second-half performance to defeat La Rochelle 32–18 at Stade du Hameau, claiming their first home win over the Maritimes since 2018 and securing a place in next season’s Champions Cup. The victory capped a remarkable turnaround season for the young Béarnais squad and eliminated La Rochelle from the Top 14 playoff race. Trailing by two at halftime, Pau came out with renewed intensity after the break. A dominant scrum laid the foundation for their comeback, and Thibault Daubagna’s 69th-minute try off a Gorgadze-led push turned the momentum. Just three minutes later, La Rochelle’s Reda Wardi saw yellow for foul play, and replacement Samu Tuipulotu barged over for a critical converted score. Though Antoine Hastoy added a penalty to bring La Rochelle within seven, Pau struck again at the death. Fabien Brau-Boirie forced a turnover and set up Emilien Gailleton for the bonus-point try that sealed a famous win and sent the home crowd into raptures. La Rochelle now miss the Top 14 playoffs for the first time since 2018, marking the end of an era. For Pau, it’s the beginning of a new one—built on youth, belief, and big-match execution.
PAU
- Tries: Manu (16’), Daubagna (69’), Tuipulotu (75’), Gailleton (80’)
- Conversions: Simmonds (70’, 76’, 80’)
- Penalties: Simmonds (25’, 48’)
LA ROCHELLE
- Tries: Wardi (40’), Bosmorin (62’)
- Conversions: Hastoy (40’)
- Penalties: Hastoy (6’)
STADE FRANÇAIS SURVIVE RELEGATION SCARE WITH CRUCIAL WIN OVER CASTRES
Stade Français 21 – 10 Castres (HT: 11–10)
Stade Français secured their Top 14 survival with a tense 21–10 victory over Castres Olympique at Stade Jean-Bouin, ending a turbulent season on a winning note. The result guarantees the Parisians’ place in the top flight, while Castres, despite a subdued performance, still qualified for the playoffs in sixth place. The visitors struck first, with Adrien Séguret finishing a sharp early move to give Castres a 7–0 lead. But Stade Français gradually found their rhythm through set-piece dominance, leveling the scores with a well-executed maul try. Benjamin Fernandez nudged Castres ahead again with a penalty, only for Zack Henry to hit back with two kicks—one off the crossbar—to edge the hosts in front 11–10 at the break. The second half was scrappy and riddled with nerves, but a 61st-minute drop goal from Henry offered some breathing room. Castres struggled to mount any offensive pressure, and Paris sealed the result in the 75th minute when Daniel Ezeala gathered a high ball to score the match-clinching try. Relief and celebration followed as Stade Français escaped the drop in dramatic fashion.
STADE FRANÇAIS
- Tries: Hirigoyen (18’), Ezeala (75’)
- Conversions: Henry (76’)
- Penalties: Henry (38’)
- Drop Goal: Henry (61’)
CASTRES
- Tries: Séguret (4’)
- Conversions: Fernandez (5’)
- Penalties: Fernandez (22’)
BORDEAUX DOMINATE VANNES TO CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT AND SEND VISITORS DOWN
Union Bordeaux-Bègles 59 – 28 Vannes (HT: 33–14)
Union Bordeaux-Bègles surged into the Top 14 quarterfinals with a commanding 59–28 win over Vannes at Chaban-Delmas, scoring nine tries in a statement performance. The result not only secured UBB’s place in the postseason but also confirmed Vannes’ relegation after just one season in the top flight. Vannes struck first through Boudehent, but UBB quickly responded as Lesgourgues darted over to kick-start a relentless attacking display. The early stages saw both sides exchange scores—Beziat keeping Vannes in touch—but Bordeaux soon turned up the pressure. Penaud crossed twice in quick succession, followed by Depoortere just before halftime, while Vannes’ ill-discipline saw Coleman and Perchaud sent to the bin. After the break, the Girondins didn’t let up. Depoortere added his second, Bielle-Biarrey added a brace of his own, and both Taufa and Tameifuna powered over to stretch the lead. Vannes replied with tries from Camou and Kalamafoni, but they were never close. The night ended on a high note for Ducuing, who landed a long-range penalty in his final game for Bordeaux, to the delight of the Chaban faithful.
UNION BORDEAUX-BÈGLES
- Tries: Bielle-Biarrey (6’, 65’), Lesgourgues (20’), Penaud (33’, 62’), Tameifuna (56’), Depoortere (59’, 67’), Taufa (80’)
- Conversions: Jalibert (21’, 34’, 57’, 60’, 63’, 68’), Ducuing (80’)
VANNES
- Tries: Boudehent (11’), Beziat (40’), Camou (47’), Kalamafoni (77’)
- Conversions: Lafage (12’, 40’, 48’, 78’)
PERPIGNAN STUN TOULOUSE BUT MUST FACE GRENOBLE IN RELEGATION PLAYOFF
Perpignan 42 – 35 Toulouse (HT: 7–21)
Perpignan delivered a heroic performance to defeat Toulouse 42–35 at Stade Aimé-Giral, but the win wasn’t enough to secure automatic survival. Despite the seven-try spectacle, USAP will now face Grenoble in a relegation playoff to retain their Top 14 status. Toulouse struck early through Ntamack and doubled their lead when Delibes capitalized on a defensive error after a pinpoint kick from Ntamack. Although Tuilagi powered over for Perpignan to close the gap, Graou intercepted a clearance to restore a two-try cushion for Toulouse before the break. The second half saw a dramatic turnaround. Lebel’s yellow card opened the door for Joseph to crash over, and back-to-back tries from Lotrian pushed USAP into the lead. Castro-Ferreira momentarily leveled for Toulouse, but Duguivalu’s solo finish reignited the home crowd. In the closing minutes, Joseph completed his brace to seal a famous victory. Galtier scored a late consolation for Toulouse, but it was Perpignan’s night—even if their fight for survival is not over yet.
PERPIGNAN
- Tries: Tuilagi (38’), Joseph (51’, 76’), Lotrian (59’, 63’), Duguivalu (70’)
- Conversions: Allan (39, 52’, 60’, 64’), Delpy (71’, 77’)
TOULOUSE
- Tries: Ntamack (14’), Delibes (25’), Graou (40’), Castro-Ferreira (67’), Galtier (80’)
- Conversions: Ntamack (15’, 26’, 40’), Graou (68’, 80’)
2025 TOP 14 FINAL STANDINGS
With the regular season now complete, the Top 14 playoffs are set: Bayonne will host Clermont and Toulon will face Castres in next weekend’s barrages.
Union Bordeaux-Bègles and Toulouse advance directly to the semi-finals and await the winners.
Meanwhile, Perpignan must now fight for survival in a relegation playoff against Pro D2 challengers Grenoble.
Who impressed you most in Round 26? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s talk rugby.
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