History of the Six Nations

history of the six nations

The history of the Six Nations is long and illustrious. What is now known as the Six Nations, or the Guinness Six Nations, was originally known as the Home Nations Championships between 1883 and 1909 and then again between 1932 and 1939. The Rugby tournament originally contested between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The home Nations Championship then became the ‘Five Nations’ between 1910 and 1931 and 1947 and 1999 with the addition of the French national rugby team.

From 2000 the tournament became the Six Nations with the addition of Italy. Since then for the last 18 years it has been known as the Six Nations, with various other rightsholder names at the beginning, depending on who is sponsoring the tournament.

The round robin style rugby tournament is one of the, if not the, premier International Rugby Tournament next to the Rugby World Cup.

Year Champions Grand Slam Triple Crown Wooden Spoon
2000 England n/a n/a Italy
2001 England n/a n/a Italy
2002 France France England Italy
2003 England England England Wales
2004 France France Ireland Scotland
2005 Wales
Wales Wales Italy
2006 France n/a Ireland Italy
2007 France n/a Ireland Scotland
2008 Wales Wales Wales Italy
2009 Ireland Ireland Ireland Italy
2010 France France n/a Italy
2011 England n/a n/a Italy
2012 Wales Wales Wales Scotland
2013 Wales
n/a n/a France
2014 Ireland n/a England Italy
2015 Ireland n/a n/a Scotland
2016 England England England Italy
2017 England n/a n/a Italy
2018 Ireland Ireland Ireland Italy
2019 Wales Wales Wales Italy
2020 England n/a England Italy
2021 Wales n/a Wales Italy
2022 France France Ireland Italy