Ten Top 14 matches to be shown free in UK and Ireland, including final

French broadcaster TV5Monde will show ten matches of this current Top 14 season, including the final, allowing audiences in the United Kingdom and Ireland to watch for free.

One game will be shown every Saturday for the final five rounds of the regular season, as well as the play-offs, semi-finals and the final on June 28 at Marseille's Stade Velodrome.

The matches can be streamed for free online in the UK and Ireland on the TV5Monde website. The channel can also be accessed through an app.

TV5Monde Europe shared on their website: "Experience the thrill of sporting excellence with the Top 14 Rugby Championship, a highly competitive event that brings together the most prestigious French clubs and attracts some of the best international talent. This exciting competition showcases the universal appeal of rugby and conveys the authentic values and spirit that make it such a beloved sport."

The Top 14 is set for a compelling denouement to the regular season with at least nine teams vying for the coveted six play-off spots.

Current European champions La Rochelle hold onto that sixth spot for now, but they only have a three-point lead over ninth-place Castres, meaning the complexion of the table could change significantly after only one round of action.

At the top of the table, Stade Francais have built a seven-point lead over reigning champions Toulouse in second place courtesy of a win over Bayonne at the weekend while Toulouse lost to Toulon.

Fly-half Romain Ntamack secured a win for Toulouse in last year's final against La Rochelle with a dramatic solo try at the death.