Six Nations Championship
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Six Nations Championship | |
|---|---|
 2007 Six Nations Championship |
|
 |
|
| Sport | Rugby union |
| Founded | 1883 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country |  England France Ireland Italy Scotland Wales |
| Current champions | France |
The RBS 6 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 held between six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. The winner of the RBS 6 Nations is often seen as being the unofficial European Champions.
The Five Nations Championship, with its predecessor the Home Championship, was 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 historically featured Spain instead of Italy, but from 2007 on will include Italy at Spain's expense.
France are the current defending champions having won the competition in 2007. No Grand Slam was won, but Ireland won the Triple Crown. Italy won their first away game ever when they defeated Scotland and they also defeated Wales the following week in Rome.
Contents |
[edit] History
In 1871, England and Scotland played the first rugby union international.[1] 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.[1] England won the first series, along with a Triple Crown. Up until 1893, England and Scotland were the only champions, with Wales winning their first title that season. Ireland won their first title the following season. The 1908 and 1909 championships won by Wales, although won during the Home Nations era, can be regarded as Grand Slams, as they also defeated France both seasons.
In 1910 the French, who had played in four of the tournaments up to that point, officially joined the competition and coined the phrase "Five Nations".[1] England won the first championship of the new era, with the Welsh achieving the first Grand Slam the following year. The competition was suspended during World War I (1915-19). In 1931, France were ejected from the tournament (see below), which reverted to being the "Home Nations" from 1932 through to 1939. The competition was suspended again during World War II (1940-1946). With France back in the competition, the Five Nations resumed in 1947, with a shared victory for England and Wales. France won their first shared title in 1954, and their first outright title in 1959.
By the 1970s the Five Nations Championship had become the pre-eminent series in Northern hemisphere rugby union with matches becoming all-ticket affairs, gaining huge popularity and a large television audience.[1] The 1972 tournament was not finished after Scotland and Wales refused to play in Dublin.[2] 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.[2] Until 1993, there was no tangible reward for winning the Five Nations championship: there was neither flag nor cup or any other kind of trophy. However, for season 1992-93, there was presented, for competition, the Five Nations Championship Trophy.
France were the first winners of the new trophy, followed by Wales and then England. Scotland's first success came in season 1998-99; Ireland have yet to win it. Scotland was the last nation to win the Five Nations Trophy as such because Italy joined the competition in 2000 and the tournament became known as the "Six Nations Championship". England were the first nation to win the trophy under the new format, taking out the 2000 competition. The importance of the competition has decreased slightly since the introduction of the Rugby World Cup, but the long standing rivalries between teams mean that it remains a passionate and fiercely contested prize.
[edit] Controversies
England were barred from the championship in 1888 and 1889 because of their stand over representation on the newly-formed International Rugby Board. In 1897 and 1898 the Welsh were made pariahs over a testimonial fund given to their captain and star player Arthur Gould. The neighbouring Unions regarded the presentation to Gould as an act of professionalism and Gould's retirement from international rugby enventually resolved the issue.
Following the 1931 competition, France was expelled amid allegations of professionalism, the inadequacies of the French administration and concerns over on-field violence. France was readmitted following the 1939 competition, but World War II caused the suspension of the Five Nations until 1947. After the competition resumed, it remained the Five Nations for over a half-century. In 1972, the championship was abandoned as Wales and Scotland refused to play in Ireland after receiving threatening letters purportedly from the IRA.
In 1996, a deal between British Sky Broadcasting and the Rugby Football Union meant that England home games were exclusively shown on Sky. This deal caused great controversy at the time and England were threatened with being expelled from the competition and being replaced by Italy. This threat was never carried out with the understanding that all future television deals would be negotiated collectively. Consequently, when the television rights became available once more, the rights to show all six nations matches in Britain went to the BBC.
An outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Britain disrupted the 2001 championship; Ireland's matches against Wales, Scotland and England were postponed until the autumn.
[edit] 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 most other rugby union competitions the bonus point system is not used, nor is it likely to ever be used as it was shown that in the 2002 championship that, under the bonus points system, England would have won the championship despite France winning the Grand Slam.
Victory in every game results in a so-called 'Grand Slam'. Back to back Grand Slams have been achieved on five occasions, by Wales in 1908/1909, by England in 1913/1914, 1923/1924 and 1991/1992 and by France in 1997/1998. England hold the record for the number of Grand Slams won with 12, followed by Wales with 9, France with 8, Scotland with 3 and Ireland with 1.
Victory by a home nation over the three other home nations is a 'Triple Crown'. The Triple Crown has twice been won on four consecutive occasions, once by Wales in 1976/1977/1978/1979 and once by England in 1995/1996/1997/1998. England hold the record for the number of Triple Crowns won with 23, followed by Wales with 18, Scotland with 10 and Ireland with 9.
England's Grand Slam and World Cup win in the same calendar year, 2003, remains a unique achievement. The victors of the game between England and Scotland win the Calcutta Cup. Since 1988, the Millennium Trophy has been awarded to the winner of the game between England and Ireland. Since 2007, France and Italy also have their own trophy: the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy; it was created for the 200th anniversary of the Italian military leader Giuseppe Garibaldi's birth, who was born in Nizza in 1807; the city became subsequently French with the actual name of Nice in 1859. The last-placed nation is said to have won the Wooden Spoon.
Prior to 1994, teams equal on points shared the championship. After that date, ties were broken by considering the points difference of the teams. In 2005 Wales won the Grand Slam, becoming the first team ever to win a Grand Slam playing more games away than at home. This was the last Grand Slam to date.
In 2006, France won the competition on points difference over Ireland. Ireland received the consolation prize of the Triple Crown Trophy, contested for the first time in 2006. Italy were left with the Wooden Spoon, but showed considerable improvement over past years, earning their first-ever competition point away from home in a draw against Wales and being competitive in virtually all their matches.
In 2007, France, again, won on points difference. The final week saw 3 possible winners on points, France, Ireland and England (if these three teams had lost their last matches Italy would also have been equal on points). Italy had its 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.
[edit] Trophy
The winners of the RBS 6 Nations are presented with the competition trophy. The Championship Trophy was originally conceived by the Earl of Westmorland, and made its first appearance at the 1993 championship to the winners, France.[3] 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, with a value of £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.[3]
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).[3] The cup has a capacity of 3.75 litres – sufficient for five bottles of champagne.[3] 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.[3]
[edit] Current venues
The RBS 6 Nations matches are currently (as of 2007) held in the following stadia:
- England: Twickenham, London
- Ireland: Croke Park, Dublin
- Scotland: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
- Wales: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
- France: Stade de France, Saint-Denis (near Paris)
- Italy: Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Croke Park is not the normal home of Irish rugby; it is 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 2009 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 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.
[edit] Anthems
Even though God Save The Queen is considered the anthem of the United Kingdom it is also used by England in many sporting events. Wales and Scotland have separate national anthems while Ireland have a specially commissioned anthem for rugby internationals, though Amhrán na bhFiann is also used for games played in the Republic of Ireland.
- England: God Save The Queen
- France: La Marseillaise
- Ireland: Ireland's Call, Amhrán na bhFiann
- Italy: Il Canto degli Italiani
- Scotland: Flower of Scotland
- Wales: Hen Wlad fy Nhadau
[edit] Trophies
Several trophies are contested for, alongside the main competition, mainly purely for national pride. These are:
- Calcutta Cup - England v. Scotland
- Millennium Trophy - England v. Ireland
- Centenary Quaich - Scotland v. Ireland
- Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy - France v. Italy
- Triple Crown - England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales (One Home Nation achieves victories against the other three)
- Grand Slam - All nations. Achieved when one nation achieves five victories, one against each nation, resulting in a 100% record.
[edit] Womens
The Women's Six Nations Championship is run roughly at the same time as the men's competition; February through March. The competition is also between the six elite European women's national teams. The women's tournament was introduced in the 2001 season, and included the same national teams as the men's competition did, with the exception of Italy, with Spain instead. The participating nations remained unchanged for several seasons until 2007, when Spain was replaced with Italy. The exchange aligns both the women's and men's national team participants.
[edit] Results
[edit] 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 23 (excluding 10 shared). The only country to have not won any competition is Italy, with no wins from its eight tournaments.
 England |
 France |
 Ireland |
 Italy |
 Scotland |
 Wales |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tournaments | 105 | 75 | 105 | 7 | 105 | 105 |
| Outright Wins (Shared Wins) | 25 (10) | 15 (7) | 10 (8) | 0 (0) | 14 (8) | 23 (10) |
| Grand Slams | 12 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Triple Crowns | 23 | - | 8 | - | 10 | 18 |
[edit] Home Nations 1883–1909
| 1883 | England (Triple Crown) |
|
| 1884 | England (Triple Crown) |
|
| 1885 | Incomplete | |
| 1886 | England and Scotland |
|
| 1887 | Scotland |
|
| 1888 | Incomplete | |
| 1889 | Incomplete | |
| 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 | Incomplete | |
| 1898 | Incomplete | |
| 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)[4] |
|
| 1909 | Wales (Grand Slam)[4] |
|
| Source: Roll of Honour at BBC[5] | ||
[edit] 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[5] | ||
[edit] 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[5] | ||
[edit] 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 |
|
| 1966 | Wales |
|
| 1967 | France |
|
| 1968 | France (Grand Slam) |
|
| 1969 | Wales (Triple Crown) |
|
| 1970 | France and Wales |
|
| 1971 | Wales (Grand Slam) |
|
| 1972 | Incomplete | |
| 1973 | England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales |
|
| 1974 | Ireland |
|
| 1975 | Wales |
|
| 1976 | Wales (Grand Slam) |
|
| 1977 | France (Grand Slam) |
|
| 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[6] |
|
| 1995 | England (Grand Slam) |
|
| 1996 | England[6] (Triple Crown) |
|
| 1997 | France (Grand Slam) |
|
| 1998 | France (Grand Slam) |
|
| 1999 | Scotland[6] |
|
| Source: Roll of Honour at BBC[5] | ||
[edit] Six Nations 2000–present
| 2000 | England |
|
| 2001 | England[6] |
|
| 2002 | France (Grand Slam) |
|
| 2003 | England (Grand Slam) |
|
| 2004 | France (Grand Slam) |
|
| 2005 | Wales (Grand Slam) |
|
| 2006 | France[6] |
|
| 2007 | France[6] |
|
| Source: Roll of Honour at BBC[5] | ||
[edit] 6 Nations All Time Table (2000 - 2007)
| Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Champs | GS | TC | WS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France |
40 | 30 | 0 | 10 | 1236 | 734 | 502 | 66 | 4 | 2 | - | 0 | |
| Ireland |
40 | 29 | 0 | 11 | 1174 | 863 | 311 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| England |
40 | 27 | 0 | 13 | 1354 | 703 | 651 | 60 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Wales |
40 | 15 | 2 | 23 | 918 | 1146 | -228 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Scotland |
40 | 12 | 1 | 27 | 727 | 1173 | -446 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Italy |
40 | 5 | 1 | 34 | 692 | 1482 | -790 | 15 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 |
[edit] Longest wait without a championship
| Team | Period | Years |
|---|---|---|
| France |
24 tournaments 44 years |
1910-1954 |
| Ireland |
23 tournaments 23+ years |
1985-present |
| Scotland |
21 tournaments 28 years |
1938-1964 |
| England |
15 tournaments 18 years |
1892-1910 |
| Wales |
11 tournaments 11 years |
1994-2005 |
| Italy |
8 tournaments 8+ years |
2000-present |
[edit] Records
[edit] Individual
Highest number of points scored:
- Match
- 35 Jonny Wilkinson England v Italy 2001
- Season
- 89 Jonny Wilkinson 2001
- Career
- 421 Jonny Wilkinson 1998-07
Most tries:
- Match
- 5 G.C. Lindsay Scotland v Wales 1887
- Season
- 8 C.N. Lowe (Eng) 1914, I.S. Smith (Scot) 1925
- Career
- 24 I.S. Smith (Scotland) 1924-33
Most conversions:
- Match
- 9 Jonny Wilkinson England v Italy 2001
- Season
- 24 Jonny Wilkinson (Eng) 2001
- Career
- 74 Jonny Wilkinson (Eng) 1998-present
Penalties:
- Match
- 7 Simon Hodgkinson England v Wales 1991, Rob Andrew England v Scotland 1995, Jonny Wilkinson England v France 1999, Neil Jenkins Wales v Italy 2000, Gérald Merceron France v Italy 2002, Chris Paterson Scotland v Wales 2007
- Season
- 18 Simon Hodgkinson (England) 1991, Jonny Wilkinson (England) 2000, Gérald Merceron (France) 2002
- Career
- 93 Neil Jenkins (Wales) 1991-01
Drop Goals:
- Match
- 3 Pierre Albaladejo France v Ireland 1960, Jean-Patrick Lescarboura France v England 1985, Diego Dominguez Italy v Scotland 2000, Neil Jenkins Wales v Scotland 2001
- Season
- 5 Guy Camberabero France 1967, Diego Dominguez Italy 2000, Neil Jenkins Wales 2001, Jonny Wilkinson 2003
- Career
- 9 Jean-Patrick Lescarboura (France) 1982-88, Rob Andrew (England) 1985-97
[edit] Team
[edit] Match Record
- Most points
- 80 England v Italy 2001
- Biggest winning margin
- 57 points 80-23 England v Italy 2001
[edit] Season records
- Most points
-
- 229 England (5 matches) 2001
- Most tries
-
- 29 England (5 matches) 2001
[edit] See also
- European Nations Cup (the 7th-12th rugby teams in Europe)
- Grand Slam
- Triple Crown
- Wooden spoon
- Calcutta Cup (England v. Scotland)
- Millennium Trophy (England v. Ireland)
- Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy (France v. Italy)
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d A brief history of the Six Nations rugby tournament. 6 Nations Rugby. Retrieved on February 5, 2007.
- ^ a b Six Nations history. BBC Sport. Retrieved on February 5, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e Six Nations Championship Trophy Trust. Official Website of the RBS 6 Nations 2007. Retrieved on February 5, 2007.
- ^ 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.co.uk (2004-01-29). Retrieved on March 3, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f Asterisk * indicates won on points difference
[edit] External links
- Six Nations official site
- Rugby Union at the BBC
- Six nations news from Planet Rugby
- Six nations from itsrugby.co.uk
|
European Rugby
|
|---|
|
International Competitions National Teams Club Competitions Domestic Club Competitions |
