Overview

• Toulouse begin their four-peat bid on Sunday away to Clermont, with the season opening tonight as Bordeaux-Bègles host La Rochelle.
• Antoine Dupont remains out after his March knee injury and is not expected back until late November, though he has resumed training.
• Bordeaux-Bègles are highlighted as the primary threat, powered by a back-line featuring Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey after last season’s Champions Cup win.
• Newly promoted Montauban return to the top flight with the league’s smallest budget at €14m after earning elevation via the Pro D2 playoff route.
• French club rugby pairs deep-pocketed ownership with strict liquidity checks, underpinned by a Canal+ broadcast deal that runs through 2032 and supports Pro D2.