Format
The locations of the Six Nations participants
Played annually, the format of the Championship is simple: each team plays every other team once, with home field advantage alternating from one year to the next. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. Unlike many other rugby union competitions the bonus point system is not used.
If a team wins all its games, they are said to have won a 'Grand Slam'. Back to back Grand Slams have been achieved on five occasions, by Wales in 1908 and 1909, by England in 1913 and 1914, 1923 and 1924 and 1991 and 1992, and by France in 1997 and 1998. England holds the record for the number of Grand Slams won with 12, followed by Wales with 10, France with 8, Scotland with 3 and Ireland with 2.
Victory by any Home Nation over the other three Home Nations is a 'Triple Crown'. The Triple Crown has twice been won on four consecutive occasions, once by Wales in 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979 and once by England in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998. England hold the record for the number of Triple Crowns won with 23, followed by Wales with 20 and Scotland and Ireland with 10. Although this achievement has long been a feature of the tournament, it was not until 2006 that a physical trophy, commissioned by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was awarded.
At the end of the tournament the team that finishes at the bottom of the table is said to have won the Wooden Spoon.
Several individual competitions take place under the umbrella of the tournament. The oldest such regular competition is for the Calcutta Cup, contested annually between England and Scotland since 1879. It is named the Calcutta Cup as it is made from melted-down Indian Rupees. Since 1988, the Millennium Trophy has been awarded to the winner of the game between England and Ireland. Since 2007, France and Italy have contested the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy; it was created for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian hero who helped unify Italy. Garibaldi was born in Nizza (now the French city of Nice) in 1807.
Prior to 1994, teams equal on points shared the championship. Since then, ties have been broken by considering the points difference of the teams. The rules of the championship further provide that if teams tie on both match points and points difference, the team which scored the most tries wins the championship. If even this decider is tied, the tying teams share the championship. To date, however, match points and points difference have been sufficient to decide the championship.
Trophies
Championship Trophy
Six Nations Championship and Triple Crown Trophies
The winners of the Six Nations are presented with the Championship Trophy. This was originally conceived by the Earl of Westmorland, and was first presented to the winners of the 1993 championship, France. It is a sterling silver trophy, designed by James Brent-Ward and made by a team of eight silversmiths from the London firm William Comyns; it is valued at 55,000. Although originally silver on the inside, the trophy became so corroded through celebratory champagne fillings[citation needed] that it is now plated with 22 carat gold for protection.
It has 15 side panels representing the 15 members of the team and with three handles to represent the three officials (referee and two touch judges). The cup has a capacity of 3.75 litres sufficient for five bottles of champagne. Within the mahogany base is a concealed drawer which contains six alternate finials, each a silver replica of one of the team emblems, which can be screwed on the detachable lid.
If the champions have won all their matches, then they will have won the Grand Slam, although no actual trophy is awarded for this achievement.
Triple Crown Trophy
The Triple Crown can only be awarded to either England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales, and is awarded when one of those nations wins their matches against each of the others. As no trophy was historically awarded for winning the Triple Crown, it was often called 'the invisible cup'. In 2006 the primary sponsor of the competition, the Royal Bank of Scotland, commissioned a trophy to be awarded to Triple Crown winners.
The award, a silver dish known as the Triple Crown Trophy, was contested for the first time in the 2006 Six Nations. Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll claimed the trophy for Ireland at Twickenham on 18 March after a last-minute try from Shane Horgan gave Ireland a 2824 win over England.
Ireland currently hold the Triple Crown after beating Wales 1715 at the Millennium Stadium on 21 March 2009.
Other trophies
Several other trophies are contested within the main competition, mostly as long-standing fixtures between pairs of teams.
Calcutta Cup England versus Scotland; contested annually since 1879
Centenary Quaich Scotland versus Ireland; contested annually since 1989; a quaich is a Gaelic drinking vessel
Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy France versus Italy; contested since 2007; in memory of Giuseppe Garibaldi
Millennium Trophy England versus Ireland; contested since 1988; presented to celebrate Dublin's millennium in 1988
Current venues
Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, the home of Scottish rugby union.
As per 2009, Six Nations matches were held in the following stadia:
Team
Stadium
Capacity
England
Twickenham
82,000
France
Stade de France
81,338
Ireland
Croke Park
82,300
Wales
Millennium Stadium
74,500
Scotland
Murrayfield
67,130
Italy
Stadio Flaminio
32,000, Expanding to 41,000
Croke Park is not the normal home of Irish rugby; it is the flagship stadium of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Ireland's traditional home, Lansdowne Road, has been unavailable since the start of 2007 due to the construction of a completely new stadium on the site of what had become an increasingly run-down structure. The all-Ireland governing body for rugby union, the Irish Rugby Football Union, reached an agreement with the GAA to allow Ireland to play their 6 Nations fixtures at Croke Park in 2007. The agreement has continued throughout the construction of the new stadium at the Lansdowne Road site, which will be known as Aviva Stadium when it opens in April 2010. Ireland will play their first Six Nations matches at their new ground in 2011.
Jimilarly, the Stadio Flaminio may no longer be big enough, since "palla ovale" is becoming more popular in Italy. Rugby games may in future be held at football stadiums such as the Stadio Olimpico in Rome or in the North where rugby is most popular. Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa (42,000 seats) or Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma (almost 28,000 seats) have been suggested as alternative grounds. But recently, improvements for Flaminio have been announced increasing the likelihood that rugby will stay at Stadio Flamino, although still making it the smallest of the six nations grounds.
Anthems
Although God Save the Queen is, by custom and usage, the national anthem of the whole United Kingdom, in many sporting events it is used only by England; Wales and Scotland use separate anthems, which both hold unofficial national anthem status. Ireland, whose rugby team represents two jurisdictions (the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland), have a specially commissioned anthem for rugby internationals.
England: God Save the Queen
France: La Marseillaise
Ireland: Ireland's Call Amhrn na bhFiann is also sung at matches played in Ireland
Italy: Il Canto degli Italiani usually called L' Inno di Mameli
Scotland: Flower of Scotland
Wales: Hen Wlad fy Nhadau
Results
For 2009 results, see 2009 Six Nations Championship
Overall
Overall England has the most Home Nations, Five Nations, and Six Nations tournament victories with 25 (excluding 10 shared victories). Next is Wales with 24 (excluding 11 shared).
England
France
Ireland
Italy
Scotland
Wales
Tournaments
107
77
107
9
107
107
Outright Wins (Shared Wins)
Home Nations
5 (4)
-
4 (3)
-
9 (2)
7 (3)
Five Nations
17 (6)
12 (8)
6 (5)
-
5 (6)
15 (8)
Six Nations
3
4
1
0
0
2
Overall
25 (10)
16 (8)
11 (8)
0 (0)
14 (8)
23 (11)
Grand Slams
12
8
2
0
3
10
Triple Crowns
23
N/A
10
N/A
10
19
(This table has some mistakes in, as Wales have won two six-nation championships. In 2005 and 2008)
Home Nations 18831909
1883
England (Triple Crown)
1884
England (Triple Crown)
1885
Not completed
1886
England and Scotland
1887
Scotland
1888
Not completed
1889
Not completed
1890
England and Scotland
1891
Scotland (Triple Crown)
1892
England (Triple Crown)
1893
Wales (Triple Crown)
1894
Ireland (Triple Crown)
1895
Scotland (Triple Crown)
1896
Ireland
1897
Not completed
1898
Not completed
1899
Ireland (Triple Crown)
1900
Wales (Triple Crown)
1901
Scotland (Triple Crown)
1902
Wales (Triple Crown)
1903
Scotland (Triple Crown)
1904
Scotland
1905
Wales (Triple Crown)
1906
Wales and Ireland
1907
Scotland (Triple Crown)
1908
Wales (Grand Slam)
1909
Wales (Grand Slam)
Source: Roll of Honour at BBC
Five Nations 19101931
1910
England
1911
Wales (Grand Slam)
1912
England and Ireland
1913
England (Grand Slam)
1914
England (Grand Slam)
191519
Not held due to World War I
1920
England, Scotland and Wales
1921
England (Grand Slam)
1922
Wales
1923
England (Grand Slam)
1924
England (Grand Slam)
1925
Scotland (Grand Slam)
1926
Ireland and Scotland
1927
Ireland and Scotland
1928
England (Grand Slam)
1929
Scotland
1930
England
1931
Wales
Source: Roll of Honour at BBC
Home Nations 19321939
1932
England, Ireland and Wales
1933
Scotland (Triple Crown)
1934
England (Triple Crown)
1935
Ireland
1936
Wales
1937
England (Triple Crown)
1938
Scotland (Triple Crown)
1939
England, Ireland and Wales
Source: Roll of Honour at BBC
Five Nations 19401999
194046
Not held due to World War II
1947
England and Wales
1948
Ireland (Grand Slam)
1949
Ireland (Triple Crown)
1950
Wales (Grand Slam)
1951
Ireland
1952
Wales (Grand Slam)
1953
England
1954
England (Triple Crown), France and Wales
1955
France and Wales
1956
Wales
1957
England (Grand Slam)
1958
England
1959
France
1960
England (Triple Crown) and France
1961
France
1962
France
1963
England
1964
Scotland and Wales
1965
Wales
1966
Wales
1967
France
1968
France (Grand Slam)
1969
Wales (Triple Crown)
1970
France and Wales
1971
Wales (Grand Slam)
1972
Not completed
1973
England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
1974
Ireland
1975
Wales
1976
Wales (Grand Slam)
1977
France (Grand Slam) with the same fifteen players, the only time in a rugby championship
1978
Wales (Grand Slam)
1979
Wales (Triple Crown)
1980
England (Grand Slam)
1981
France (Grand Slam)
1982
Ireland (Triple Crown)
1983
France and Ireland
1984
Scotland (Grand Slam)
1985
Ireland (Triple Crown)
1986
France and Scotland
1987
France (Grand Slam)
1988
France and Wales (Triple Crown)
1989
France
1990
Scotland (Grand Slam)
1991
England (Grand Slam)
1992
England (Grand Slam)
1993
France
1994
Wales
1995
England (Grand Slam)
1996
England (Triple Crown)
1997
France (Grand Slam)
1998
France (Grand Slam)
1999
Scotland
Source: Roll of Honour at BBC
Six Nations 2000resent
2000
England
2001
England
2002
France (Grand Slam)
2003
England (Grand Slam)
2004
France (Grand Slam)
2005
Wales (Grand Slam)
2006
France
2007
France
2008
Wales (Grand Slam)
2009
Ireland (Grand Slam)
Source: Roll of Honour at BBC
Six Nations All-Time Table (20002009)
Includes matches played 15 March 2009
Pld
W
D
L
PF
PA
PD
Tries
Pts
Champs
GS
TC
WS
France
50
36
0
14
1372
887
485
138
72
4
2
N/A
0
Ireland
50
36
0
14
1309
993
316
133
72
1
1
4
0
England
50
33
0
17
1511
786
725
169
66
3
1
2
0
Wales
50
23
2
25
1127
1221
94
107
48
2
2
2
1
Scotland
50
14
1
35
817
1310
493
61
29
0
0
0
2
Italy
50
6
1
43
768
1707
939
62
13
0
0
N/A
7
Longest wait without a championship win
Team
Tournaments
Years
Season
France
24
43
1910-1953
Ireland
24
24
19852009
Scotland
19
26
19381964
England
16
18
18921910
Wales
11
11
19942005
Italy
10+
10+
2000resent
Last Grand Slam Win
Nation
Grand Slams Won
Last Grand Slam Season
Ireland
2
2009
Wales
10
2008
France
8
2004
England
12
2003
Scotland
3
1990
Italy
0
Never Achieved
Five Nations XV
In 1986 a team was put together made up of representatives of the Five Nations in order to play a one-off match against an Overseas Unions rugby union team to commemorate the centenary of the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB), which would shortly afterwards become the IRB or International Rugby Board. The match was played on Saturday, 19 April, 1986 , and the Five Nations lost 32-15.
The match
Unlike the first celebratory match 3 days earlier in a wet Cardiff Arms Park, this game was played in ideal conditions at Twickenham. At the time, there were only eight Unions affiliated to the Board, thus only players from those unions were chosen.
April 19, 1986
Five Nations
13 32
Overseas Unions
Twickenham Stadium, London
Referee: D I H Burnett (Ireland)
Try: Ringland (2)
Con: Blanco
Penalty Goal: Kiernan
Try: Gerber (2)
Kirwan
du Plessis
Rodriguez
Shaw
Con: Botha
Penalty Goal: Botha (2)
Five Nations: Serge Blanco ( France); T M Ringland ( Ireland), P Sella ( France), M J Kiernan ( Ireland), Rory Underwood ( England); M Dacey ( Wales), R J Hill ( England); J Whitefoot ( Wales), S E Brain ( England), I G Milne ( Scotland), J Condom ( France), D G Lenihan ( Ireland) (captain), John Jeffrey ( Scotland), I A M Paxton ( Scotland), L Rodriguez ( France)
Overseas Unions: R G Gould ( Australia); J J Kirwan ( New Zealand), D M Gerber ( South Africa), W T Taylor ( New Zealand), C J du Plessis ( South Africa); H E Botha ( South Africa), D S Loveridge ( New Zealand); E E Rodriguez ( Australia), A G Dalton ( New Zealand) (captain), P R van der Merwe ( South Africa), SAG Cutler ( Australia), A M Haden ( New Zealand), S P Poidevin ( Australia), S N Tuynman ( Australia), M W Shaw ( New Zealand)
Records
Main article: List of Six Nations Championship records
The record for individual points in one match is held by England's Jonny Wilkinson with 35 points scored against Italy in 2001 and points in one season with 89 (scored in 2001). Ronan O'Gara holds the record for career points with 520 points. The record for tries in a match is held by Scotsman George Lindsay who scored five tries against Wales in 1887. The record for appearances is held by Irishman Mike Gibson who played in 56 Five Nations matches (Italy had not become part of the Championship yet) matches between 1964 and 1979. The most points scored by a team in one match was England when they scored 80 points against Italy in 2001. England also scored the most ever points in a season in 2001 with 229, and most tries in a season with 28. Wales hold the record for least tries conceded during a season in the Six Nations era, conceding only 2 in 5 games in 2008, but the 1977 Grand Slam-winning France team did not concede a try in their four matches.
Six Nations points scoring statistics 20002009
The following table summarises the total number of points, and the number of tries, scored by each team in the Six Nations
-
England
Wales
Scotland
Ireland
France
Italy
Total
2000
183(20)
111(8)
95(9)
168(17)
140(12)
106(9)
803 (75)
2001
229(28)
125(10)
116(8)
129(11)
115(9)
106(8)
820 (74)
2002
184(23)
119(11)
91(6)
145(16)
156(15)
70(4)
765 (75)
2003
173(18)
82(10)
81(7)
119(10)
153(17)
100(12)
708 (74)
2004
150(17)
125(14)
53(4)
128(17)
144(14)
42(2)
642 (68)
2005
121(16)
153(17)
84(8)
126(12)
134(13)
55(5)
673 (71)
2006
120(12)
80(9)
78(5)
131(12)
148(18)
72(5)
629 (61)
2007
119(10)
86(7)
95(7)
149(17)
155(15)
94(9)
698 (65)
2008
75(5)
148(13)
69(3)
83(8)
91(11)
51(4)
517(44)
2009
124(16)
100(8)
79(4)
121(12)
124(14)
49(2)
597(56)
TOTAL
1478(165)
1129(107)
841(61)
1299(132)
1360(138)
745(60)
6852 (663)
The record number of points in a season is 229 by England in 2001. They also scored the most tries (28) in a single Six Nations Tournament that year. The lowest scoring team is Italy, who have only managed 745 points.
Expansion
Georgia have expressed interest in joining the 6 Nations to create a 7 Nations Tournament or possibly having a promotion/relegation play-off with the last place team.[citation needed]
Argentina did have an interest in joining the 6 Nations but they will now join the Tri Nations in the year 2012, possibly becoming the Quad Nations or 4 Nations.
Women's
Main article: Women's Six Nations Championship
The Women's Six Nations Championship is run to the same schedule and on the same weekends as the men's competition. The first women's tournament Six Nations was in the 2002 season, though a Five Nations ran from 1999 to 2001, and a Home Nations tournament from 19961998. The tournament included the same national teams as the men's competition did, with the exception that Spain took part instead of Italy.
This continued until 2007 when, as a result of the formal adoption of the competition by the Six Nations Committee, Spain was replaced with Italy purely in order to align both the women's and men's national team participants. Historically in women's rugby Spain had been a significantly stronger team than not only Italy, but had occasionally finished above Ireland, Wales, and Scotland in the tournament.
Administration, Television contracts and sponsorship
The Championship is run from headquarters in Dublin which also takes responsibility for the British and Irish Lions tours. CEO of the Championship is John Feehan, a former Leinster player. Televison contracts, sponsorship, match venues and other logistical problems are addressed.
TV Coverage and radio coverage of the competition is available on the BBC's various platforms in the United Kingdom. In Ireland, RT have broadcast the championship since their inception. France Tlvisions cover the competition in France whilst in Italy, Sky Italia are the newest broadcaster of the competition.
The competition is sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland.
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Six Nations Championship
European Nations Cup (the 7th12th rugby teams in Europe)
Calcutta Cup (England v. Scotland)
Millennium Trophy (England v. Ireland)
Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy (France v. Italy)
Triple Crown (Rugby Union) The Six Nation's Triple Crown
Centenary Quaich (Ireland v. Scotland)
Le Crunch (England v. France)
Rugby union trophies and awards
Notes
a. ^ Name of the Six Nations Championship in the languages of participating countries:
English: Six Nations Championship
French: Tournoi des six nations
Irish: Comrtas na S Nisin
Italian: Torneo Sei Nazioni
Scots: Sax Nations Kemp
Scottish Gaelic: Na Sia Niseanan
Welsh: Pencampwriaeth y Chwe Gwlad
Bibliography
Godwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883-1983. London: Willows Books. ISBN 000218060X.
References
^ Godwin (1984), pg 1. First ever Home Nations International Championship played in 1883, no other Northern Hemisphere team played a recognised international match until France faced New Zealand in 1906
^ "Rules of the RBS 6 Nations Championship". RBS 6 Nations. http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/championship-information_rules.php. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
^ "Six Nations Championship Trophy Trust". RBS 6 Nations. http://www.rbs6nations.com/trophy_english.htm. Retrieved 5 February 2007.
^ "The Calcutta Cup: the legacy of a club that died" (pdf). Scottish Rugby. http://www.scottishrugby.org/shadomx/apps/fms/fmsdownload.cfm?file_uuid=A25BAF90-A653-B702-1F28-A89E8D4D5CD8&siteName=sru. Retrieved 29 September 2007.
^ Massie, Alan (19 February 2000). "Lamenting the sad decline of the fighting Irish". The Scotsman. p. 31.
^ Ferrie, Kevin (22 March 1999). "Scotland now have quality in quantity". The Herald. p. 1.
^ Walsh, David (13 February 2005). "Scots torn apart by Irish mean machine". The Sunday Times. p. Sport 2.
^ "About Us". RFU. http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.Simple_Detail/StoryTypeId/26/SectionId/43. Retrieved 29 September 2007.
^ Ticket Booth
^ God Save the King Wikipedia
^ a b Although only a Home Nations Championship, Wales also beat France in both 1908 and 1909 and are regarded therefore as Grand Slam winners for both years.
^ a b c d e "Six Nations roll of honour". BBC. 29 January 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/3422419.stm. Retrieved 3 March 2007.
^ a b c d e f Asterisk * indicates won on points difference
^ Starmer-Smith, p184, image of programme
^ Starmer-Smith, p186
^ Scrum.com match summary
^ a b c "Six Nations records". Rugby Heaven. 1 February 2005. http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2005/02/03/1107409982373.html. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
^ Argentina invited to join the Tri-Nations ESPN Scrum.com, 14 September 2009
External links
RBS 6 Nations official website
Rugby Union at the BBC
iPhone App of Six Nations Championship 2010
v d e
Six Nations Championship
Teams
England France Ireland Italy Scotland Wales
Stadia
Twickenham Stade de France Croke Park Stadio Flaminio Murrayfield Millennium Stadium
Home Nations Championship
1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
Five Nations Championship
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 Not held due to World War I 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931
Home Nations Championship
1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 Not held due to World War II
Five Nations Championship
1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Six Nations Championship
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Records
v d e
International Rugby Union
Associations
IRB FIRAER FORU ARFU NAWIRA CONSUR CAR
Competitions (worldwide)
World Cup World Cup Sevens Junior World Championship Junior World Trophy Churchill Cup IRB Nations Cup Nations Cup (Women's rugby) Sevens World Series
Competitions (continental)
Africa Cup CAR Super 16 Asian Five Nations Six Nations European Nations Cup FORU Oceania Cup Pacific Nations Cup Pan American South American Rugby Championship Tri Nations
Competitions (multi-sport events)
RU at the Asian Games Commonwealth Rugby Sevens RU at the Olympics RU at the World Games
Competitions (defunct)
U-21 World Championship U-19 World Championship Four Nations Super Cup
Others
Women's international rugby IRB World Rankings IRB Awards
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