{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/64ef6d9e5464d50011bafece/66f5652760a79eb3bd553958?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"How did the Top14 become rugby’s answer to the Premier League?","description":"<p>As news reports emerge of English rugby once again being in dire financial straits, while some URC teams continue to live on the edge of their means, a rival competition across the water offers a positive example. France’s Top14 has a lucrative TV deal, record crowds and a thriving second division.</p><p> </p><p>How has France cracked the domestic rugby code, what is it about the Top14 which makes it commercially viable? </p><p><br></p><p>French rugby journalist James Harrington joins The Counter Ruck to talk through the league’s development, and to pick out what, if anything, other leagues can learn.</p><p><br></p><p>Produced by John Casey.</p>","author_name":"The Irish Times "}