Lannemezan upset the formbook by narrowly overcoming favourites Chalon-sur-Saone in their two-leg semi-final. They won the home match 16-9 last week before holding out for a 15-9 defeat in the return match – giving them a one-point victory margin overall.

They will now meet Aix-en-Provence in the competition final after the latter beat Carcassonne in both legs, winning 18-9 and 35-25.

ProD2 Table / Top 14 Transfers - The story so far...

Both Lannemezan and Aix-en-Provence must now prepare for life as fully professional rugby clubs in ProD2, where they will replace Bourg-en-Bresse and Beziers, who were both relegated this season.

Meanwhile, SCA Albi are coming to terms with their victory in Sunday’s ProD2 play-off final against Oyonnax – a win which secured them promotion back to Top 14 just one year after being relegated due to financial reasons.

Their 14-12 win means they are the first side to have bounced straight back up following relegation, a feat which captain Vincent Clement was quick to acknowledge afterwards.

“It’s a big relief, especially when we see where we were at this time last year. We were in a bad state and many players left because they had no real choice. For those that remained we really believed in the team and the club,” he said. “What we have achieved this year is great.”

Clement said Albi’s achievement was “something great” and explained that the key to their success had been try and win every single game. “This season we have played 32 finals. We approached every game as if it were the last. It was a big gamble but we decided to put a large intensity into each match,” he said.

He also praised the club’s supporters and back room staff, saying that adversity had brought them together following relegation.

Albi scored the only try of the game in Sunday’s final – through Pierre-Gilles Lakafia – but Oyonnax still had a chance to pip them at the post when they awarded a 60m penalty in the dying seconds.

“I must confess that I was a bit defeatist,” admitted Clement. “But I said that it could not end like this.”

Clermont Auvergne’s preparations for Saturday’s Top 14 final against Perpignan have been hit an injury scare to prolific Fijian winger Napolioni Nalaga.

The free-scoring speedster, who broke his own Top 14 record for tries this season, is struggling to be fit after injuring his left knee in Friday’s 19-9 win over Stade Toulousain.

Clermont have already lost French winger Julien Malzieu, but Aurélien Rougerie (ribs), Julien Pierre (shoulder) and Benoit Baby (left thigh) are all expected to be fit. Former Saracens full-back Brent Russell is also back in training after missing the semi-final with an ankle injury.

Stade Toulousain, meanwhile, are trying to come to terms with a season which saw them go out of the Heineken Cup at the quarter-final stage, and fail to even make the final of the Top 14 play-offs to defend their title.

“Certainly there have been failures in the preparation this week,” said Fabien Pelous, who has now retired following Friday’s 19-9 defeat. Their lack of urgency or intensity left many onlookers perplexed, and even afterwards there seemed a strange readiness to accept their fate.

“We were beaten by the better team,” admitted Jean-Baptiste Elissalde. “There is not much to say except that Clermont were more organized, more realistic and more solid in defence.”

Even coach Guy Noves conceded Clermont had deserved their win. “There are some times when defeat leaves a bitter taste, like against Cardiff. But we must acknowledge our defeat and the superiority of our adversary,” he said.