 | |
| Awarded for | Winning the Top 14 |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Presented by | LNR |
| History | |
| First award | 1892 |
| Most wins | Toulouse (22) |
| Most recent | Toulouse (22nd) |
The Bouclier de Brennus (French pronunciation: [buklie də bʁenys]), or Brennus Shield in English, is a trophy awarded annually to the French rugby union club that wins the domestic league.
The shield was not named, as it is often believed, after the famous Gallic warrior Brennus but rather artist Charles Brennus, co-founder of the Union des sociétés françaises de sports athlétiques (USFSA), the original governing body of rugby union in France. Charles Brennus sculpted the shield himself in 1892, based on an original design from his friend and fellow USFSA co-founder Pierre de Coubertin, the man who founded the modern Olympic Games.
Standing 1 metre (3.3 ft) high, 75 centimetres (2.46 ft) wide and weighing around 20 kilograms (44 lb), the trophy consists of a brass shield and plaque both fixed on a wooden support made of ash. An integral part of French sporting folklore, the Brennus Shield is one of the most recognisable trophies in France.