Everything about The Six Nations Championship totally explained
The
Six Nations Championship (referred to as
RBS 6 Nations for sponsorship reasons), known before 2000 as the
Five Nations Championship, is an annual international
rugby union competition involving six
European sides:
England,
France,
Ireland,
Italy,
Scotland and
Wales. The winner of the RBS 6 Nations is sometimes seen as being the European Champions.
The Six Nations Championship, with its predecessors the Five Nations and the
Home Championship, is the premier international
rugby union tournament in the Northern Hemisphere. It has also in the past been known as 'The International Championship'. There is also a
Women's Six Nations Championship which used to feature
Spain instead of
Italy, but since 2007 features the same lineup as the male Six Nations.
Wales are the current champions, having won the competition in
2008 by beating all other teams, thus winning the
Grand Slam and
Triple Crown.
History
In 1871, England and Scotland played the first rugby union international. After 12 years of occasional friendly matches between the teams, the inaugural Home International Championship, comprising
England,
Ireland,
Scotland and
Wales was played in 1883. The season after was unique for a five-way tie, with every nation having won and lost two games. The 1970s marked the golden age for Welsh rugby; winning three Grand Slams and one Triple Crown during the decade.. To date, however, match points and points difference have been sufficient to decide the championship.
In
2005 Wales won the Grand Slam, becoming the first team ever to win a Grand Slam playing more games away than at home.
In
2006, France won the competition on points difference over Ireland. Ireland received the consolation prize of the Triple Crown Trophy, presented for the first time that year. Italy once more collected the Wooden Spoon, but showed considerable improvement over past years, earning a first-ever competition point away from home in a draw against Wales.
In
2007, France again won on points difference, after four teams had at least a mathematical chance of topping the table going into
the final week. The Italians had their first away win of the tournament beating Scotland in Edinburgh. It was also the first time they won two of their matches as they went on to beat Wales in Rome. Scotland won the
wooden spoon and Ireland won the
Triple Crown for the second straight year and third time in four years.
In
2008 Wales won the Grand Slam with a 29-12 win against France in Cardiff, having only conceded two tries in the championship, beating England's previous record of four tries conceded.
Trophies
Championship Trophy
The winners of the RBS 6 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's valued at £55,000. Although originally silver on the inside, the trophy became so corroded through celebratory champagne fillings that it's 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.
Triple Crown Trophy
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 March 18 after a last-minute try from
Shane Horgan gave Ireland a 28-24 win over
England.
Wales currently hold the Triple Crown after beating Ireland 16-12 at
Croke Park on 8th March 2008.
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 - A quaich is a celtic drinking vessel, and is contested between Celtic neighbours Scotland and Ireland. It was first contested in 1989, and the two teams play for it annually.
- Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy - Contested between France and Italy in memory of Giuseppe Garibaldi; first awarded in 2007.
- Millennium Trophy - Presented to celebrate Dublin's millennium in 1988 the Millennium Trophy is contested between England and Ireland.
- Grand Slam - All nations: awarded when one nation defeats the other five.
Current venues
The 2008 RBS 6 Nations matches were held in the following stadia:
England: Twickenham, London
France: Stade de France, Saint-Denis (near Paris)
Ireland: Croke Park, Dublin
Italy: Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Scotland: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Wales: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Croke Park isn't the normal home of Irish rugby; it's the flagship stadium of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), which until 2005 prohibited its venues from being used for football or rugby. Ireland's traditional home, Lansdowne Road, will be unavailable during 2007 or 2008 due to the construction of a completely new stadium on the site of what had become an increasingly run-down venue. 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 RBS 6 Nations fixtures at Croke Park in 2007. The agreement will most likely continue until the new Lansdowne Road opens, projected to be in time for the 2010 Six Nations.
Similarly, 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.
Anthems
Even though God Save the Queen is the anthem of the United Kingdom it's only used by England in many sporting events; Wales has a separate national anthem. Scotland don't have an official anthem but usually Flower of Scotland is sung at sports events. The anthem for Ireland, whose rugby team represents two jurisdictions (the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland), have a specially commissioned anthem for rugby internationals; Amhrán na bhFiann is also played at matches played in the Republic of Ireland.
England: God Save the Queen
France: La Marseillaise
Ireland: Ireland's Call, plus Amhrán na bhFiann at home matches only
Italy: Il Canto degli Italiani
Scotland: Flower of Scotland
Wales: Hen Wlad fy Nhadau
Results
» For 2008 results, see 2008 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). The only country not to have won the competition is Italy, with no wins from its nine tournaments.
Since 1954, when France first won the Championship, France have been the most successful, with 22 victories and 8 Grand Slams, before Wales (18 victories and 6 Grand Slams), England (14 victories and 6 Grand Slams), Scotland (6 victories and 2 Grand Slams), Ireland (5 victories) and Italy, which hasn't won yet.
Home Nations 1883–1909
Five Nations 1910–1931
Further Information
Get more info on 'Six Nations Championship'.
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