The Ligue Nationale de Rugby has announced a new five-year deal with Canal+ for exclusive French Top 14 TV rights, worth an average of €71-million per season.

The rights are currently worth €32-million a season.

The new deal runs from the start of next season with Canal+ paying €70-million for each of the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, €71-million for the 2016-17 season, and €72-million for each of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

The LNR said it believed the new deal would enable the organisation to 'strengthen the status of the Top 14 as the most attractive league in the world'.

Photo: Bertrand Langlois/AFP Photo