Six Nations Championship

Six Nations Championship

Current season or competition: 2011 Six Nations Championship
Sport	Rugby union
Founded	1883
No. of teams	6
Country(ies)	England   France  Ireland   Italy  Scotland  Wales
Most recent champion(s)	France

The Six Nations Championship (referred to as RBS 6 Nations for sponsorship reasons) is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

The Six Nations Championship is the successor to the Five Nations and the Home Nations Championship, which was the first international rugby union tournament in the Northern Hemisphere. The event is currently sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland. The winners of the Six Nations Championship are also known as the European Champions.

France are the current Grand Slam title holders, unseating Ireland, who won a Grand Slam and a Triple crown in 2009. France won the 2010 title on 20 March, completing their Grand Slam before their home fans at Stade de France in a 12-10 win against England.

Format

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 9, 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

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 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 28–24 win over England.

Ireland are the last nation to win the Triple Crown, having done so as part of their 2009 Grand Slam.

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

As of the next edition in 2011, Six Nations matches will be held in the following stadia:

Team	Stadium	Capacity
England	Twickenham	82,000
France	Stade de France	81,338
Wales	Millennium Stadium	74,500
Scotland	Murrayfield	67,130
Ireland	Aviva Stadium	51,700
Italy	Stadio Flaminio	32,000, Expanding to 41,000

The opening of Aviva Stadium in May 2010 ended the arrangement with the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) that allowed the all-Ireland governing body for rugby union, the Irish Rugby Football Union, to use the GAA's flagship stadium, Croke Park, for its international matches. This arrangement was made necessary by the 2007 closure and subsequent demolition of Ireland's traditional home of Lansdowne Road, with the Aviva being built on the former Lansdowne Road site. During the construction of the Aviva, Croke Park was the largest of the Six Nations grounds, with a capacity of 82,300.

In the late 2000s, the increasing popularity of palla ovale in Italy meant that Stadio Flaminio was becoming less viable as a home ground for the country's team. It has been speculated that Italy's Six Nations home matches may in the 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

Before the start of each game the national anthem of both teams is sung by their players and supporters. God Save the Queen, the national anthem of the United Kingdom, is used only by England. Wales and Scotland each sing their own national anthem. 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 ( Amhrán na bhFiann is also sung at matches played in the Republic of Ireland)
• Italy: Il Canto degli Italiani usually called L' Inno di Mameli
• Scotland: Flower of Scotland
• Wales: Hen Wlad fy Nhadau

Results

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	112	82	112	13	112	112
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	4	5	1	0	0	3
Overall	26 (10)	17 (8)	11 (8)	0 (0)	14 (8)	25 (11)
Grand Slams	12	9	2	0	3	11
Triple Crowns	23	N/A	10	N/A	10	20
Wooden Spoons	22	17	36	9	33	22

Home Nations 1883–1909

1883	England (Triple Crown)
1884	England (Triple Crown)
1885	England
1886	England and  Scotland
1887	Scotland
1888	Ireland
1889	Scotland
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 1910–1931

1910	England
1911	Wales (Grand Slam)
1912	England and  Ireland
1913	England (Grand Slam)
1914	England (Grand Slam)
1915–19	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 1932–1939

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 1940–1999

1940–46	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 (Triple Crown)
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	Scotland and   France
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 2000–present

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)
2010	France (Grand Slam)
Source: Roll of Honour at BBC

Six Nations All-Time Table (2000–2010)

Includes matches played 20 March 2010

	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	T	Pts	Champs	GS	TC	WS
France	55	41	0	14	1507	956	551	151	82	5	3	N/A	0
Ireland	55	39	0	16	1415	1088	327	144	78	1	1	4	0
England	55	35	1	19	1599	862	737	175	71	3	1	2	0
Wales	55	25	2	28	1353	1455	−102	128	52	2	2	2	1
Scotland	55	15	2	38	900	1410	−510	64	32	0	0	0	2
Italy	55	7	1	47	837	1840	−1003	67	15	0	0	N/A	8

Longest wait without a championship win

Team	Tournaments	Years	Season
France	24	43	1910–1953
Ireland	24	24	1985–2009
Scotland	19	26	1938–1964
England	16	18	1892–1910
Italy	11+	11+	2000–present
Wales	11	11	1994–2005

Last Grand Slam Win

Nation	Grand Slams Won	Last Grand Slam Season
France	9	2010
Ireland	2	2009
Wales	10	2008
England	12	2003
Scotland	3	1990
Italy	0	Never Achieved

Five Nations XV

Five Nations

Unions	International Rugby Board
First match
Overseas Unions 32 - 13 Five Nations XV
Largest win
None
Largest defeat
Overseas Unions 32 - 13 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 32-13.

Coaching team

•  Ireland Declan Kidney (Coach)
•   France Jacques Fouroux (Coach)
•  Wales Clive Rowlands (Manager)

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.

Note that at the time, tries were worth 4 points. The modern 5-point try was not instituted until 1992.

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: S Blanco (  France); T M Ringland ( Ireland), P Sella (  France), M J Kiernan ( Ireland), R 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), J 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), G A Knight ( New Zealand) ( P R van der Merwe (  South Africa) had been named in starting lineup in programme), SAG Cutler (  Australia), A M Haden ( New Zealand), S P Poidevin (  Australia), S N Tuynman (  Australia), M W Shaw ( New Zealand)

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. On 20 March 2010 Jonny Wilkinson regained the record by kicking a penalty against France taking him to 529 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 2000–2010

The following table summarises the total number of points, and the number of tries, scored by each team in the Six Nations

Year	England		Wales		Scotland		Ireland		France		Italy		Total
	points	tries	points	tries	points	tries	points	tries	points	tries	points	tries	points	tries
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
2010	88	6	113	10	83	3	106	9	135	13	69	5	594	46
TOTAL	1566	171	1242	117	924	64	1405	141	1495	151	814	65	7446	709

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 814 points.

Expansion

During the 1980s, Romania expressed an interest in joining the tournament, but rugby in that country began a sharp decline after the Romanian Revolution of 1989, and the decline accelerated after the sport went professional in 1995.

Georgia have expressed interest in joining the Six Nations to create a Seven Nations Tournament or possibly having a promotion/relegation play-off with the last place team.

Argentina showed interest in joining the Six Nations, but will now join the Tri Nations in the year 2012, possibly becoming the Quad Nations or Four Nations.

Women's

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 1996–1998. 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. Television 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, RTÉ have broadcast the championship since their inception. France Télévisions cover the competition in France whilst in Italy, Sky Italia are the newest broadcaster of the competition. In the United States, BBC America simulcasts the BBC's feed. In Wales, S4C have on occasions screened matches featuring the national team's home games using the BBC's feed with Welsh commentary, with a number of English speaking former Welsh players using the Welsh language for studio analysis and pitch side reporting.

The competition is sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Player stats

Points Jonny Wilkinson - 529 Ronan O'Gara - 527 Stephen Jones - 445 Neil Jenkins - 396 Chris Paterson - 372 David Humphreys - 267

Tries Brian O'Driscoll - 22 Shane Williams - 20 Ben Cohen - 16 Will Greenwood - 15 Jason Robinson - 14 Denis Hickie - 13