The LNR, the organizer of the top two divisions of French club rugby union, has renewed its partnership with sports technology firm Catapult through the 2028-29 season.
The new agreement will see Catapult continue to make its full performance analysis suite available to all 30 clubs in the country’s top-tier Top 14 and second-tier Pro D2 competitions.
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The tools aim to help club coaches and practitioners make informed choices on strategy, athlete performance, and injury management. As part of the deal, player data will also be integrated into the LNR’s central performance platform to streamline communication between clubs and performance staff.
Richard Cacioppo, competitions and stadiums director of LNR, has said: “The issue of data and player monitoring is at the heart of the development of professional rugby, and we are delighted to be able to count on our side a world leader like Catapult, who will be able to support clubs throughout the coming seasons in the development of their data and their use.”
Kieran Dannatt, vice president of global strategic partnerships at Catapult, added: “The Top 14 and Pro D2 set the standard for elite rugby, and we are honored to support these competitions over the next four years.”
Catapult is also the preferred provider of athlete monitoring technology for England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) and for the Premiership Rugby and Premiership Women’s Rugby English domestic competitions.
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By GlobalDataIt also has partnerships with clubs in North America’s Major League Rugby.
Away from rugby union, meanwhile, Catapult also has a multi-year agreement with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), and the German Football Association (DFB), as well as with various clubs in English soccer’s top-tier Premier League.
Others that use or have used Catapult’s technologies include all 32 franchises in American football’s NFL, England Netball, and Nascar.
The LNR, meanwhile, has been working to accelerate its international development and increase its fan base.
Earlier this month, the organizer hired the Two Circles agency to distribute the media rights and international marketing of its properties through the 2031-32 season to boost viewership of Top 14 and increase revenue through a long-term strategy.
The deal entails Two Circles distributinng the international rights of the Top14 and Pro D2, as well as the rugby sevens competition In Extenso Supersevens. It has also committed to developing an over-the-top platform using its StayLive technology, which will be accessible in territories not covered by broadcast agreements.
International pay-TV broadcaster Canal Plus will produce audiovisual content for the international market.
The agency has also been tasked with delivering the LNR’s marketing plan, to increase awareness and grow the global audience for Top14, leveraging the more than 250 international players from over 20 nations competing in French rugby leagues.
