The Six Nations Championship (referred to as RBS 6 Nations for sponsorship reasons), (2000-) formerly known 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 Royal Bank of Scotland (LSE: RBS) is one of Scotlands four national clearing banks and one of the oldest in the UK, founded in Edinburgh in 1727 by Royal Charter. ... Image from a test-match between Ireland and the New Zealand All Blacks. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ... England Rugby is the name of the English national rugby union team. ... Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union, a founder member of the International Rugby Board in 1886 with fellow Celtic nations Ireland and Wales. ... The Welsh rugby union team, as the highest level of Welsh rugby union, represent Wales at the national sport of rugby union. ...

Wales are the current defending champions having won the competition in 2005. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

There is also a Women's Six Nations Championship with Spain instead of Italy.

History

The Five Nations Championship, with its predecessor, the Home Championship, was the premier international rugby union tournament in the Northern hemisphere. After 12 years of occasional friendly matches between the teams, the inaugural Home Championship, comprising England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales was played in 1883. The Home Nations is a name to collectively describe the four nations of the United Kingdom: the countries of England, Scotland and Wales, and the province of Northern Ireland. ... Image from a test-match between Ireland and the New Zealand All Blacks. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the British Isles Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st UK... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... For an explanation of often confusing terms such as Great Britain, Britain, United Kingdom and England, see British Isles (terminology). ... 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

The addition of the French in 1910 brought the number of nations to five, but following the 1930 competition, France was expelled amid allegations of professionalism 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.-1... 1930 (MCMXXX) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 7 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War II, also known as the Second World War (sometimes WW2 or WWII or World War Two), was a mid-20th century conflict that engulfed much of the... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

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, followed by Wales and then England. Scotland's first success came in season 1998-99; Ireland have never been successful. Scotland was the last nation to win the Five Nations Trophy as such because Italy joined the competition in 2000 and it is now known as the Six Nations Championship. This article is about the year 2000. ...

The importance of the competition has decreased slightly since the introduction of the Rugby Union World Cup, but the long standing rivalries between teams mean that it remains a passionate and fiercely contested prize. Despite the quality of the teams involved, the Tri Nations Series does not arouse the same level of passion and intensity, and is a much younger competition, begun in 1996 in the Southern hemisphere. The Rugby Union World Cup is the premier international Rugby Union contest in the world, first held jointly in Australia and New Zealand in 1987, a full 33 years after the first Rugby League World Cup and now held every four years. ... The Tri Nations Series is an annual international Rugby Union series held between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. ...

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. Victory in every game results in a so-called 'Grand Slam'; victory by a home nation (i.e. England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland - excluding France and Italy) over the three other home nations is a 'Triple Crown'. 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. The last-placed nation is said to have won the Wooden Spoon. In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. ... The Calcutta Cup is a rotating trophy awarded to the winner of an annual rugby union match between the national teams of England and Scotland. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Millennium Trophy is a Rugby Union award contested annually by Ireland and England as part of the Rugby Union Six Nations Championship. ... A Wooden Spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. ...

The winner of the Six Nations is often seen as being the unofficial European Champions.

Current venues

The Six Nations matches are currently held in the following stadiums:

• England: Twickenham, London
• France: Stade de France, Saint-Denis (near Paris)
• Ireland: Lansdowne Road, Dublin
• Italy: Stadio Flaminio, Rome
• Scotland: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
• Wales: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

In 2007 and 2008, Lansdowne Road will not be available; a completely new stadium will be built on the site to replace the increasingly run-down venue. The all-Ireland governing body for rugby union, the Irish Rugby Football Union, has reached an agreement with the Gaelic Athletic Association to allow Ireland to play their Six Nations home fixtures at the GAA's flagship stadium, Croke Park, in 2007. The agreement will most likely continue until the new Lansdowne Road opens. England Rugby is the name of the English national rugby union team. ... Twickenham Stadium, located in the Twickenham district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is currently the largest sporting venue in the United Kingdom with a capacity of 75,000. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... The Stade de France and the district of La Plaine The Stade de France (English translation Stadium of France – not used) is a stadium in metropolitan Paris, and the national stadium of France, built for the 1998 Football World Cup. ... Saint-Denis is a commune of France, in the Seine-Saint-Denis département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... General view of the stadium during a rugby union match DART rail system underneath the West stand Lansdowne Road is the name of both a neighborhood in Dublin and a major sport stadium located in that neighborhood. ... Dublin (Irish: Baile Átha Cliath), is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland, located near the midpoint of Irelands east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region. ... Home stadium for the Italy national rugby union team. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1285 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2. ... Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union, a founder member of the International Rugby Board in 1886 with fellow Celtic nations Ireland and Wales. ... Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh (capacity 67,500) is the home of Scottish Rugby and a name known throughout the rugby world. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ), Dùn Èideann () in Scottish Gaelic, is the second-largest city in Scotland and its capital city. ... The Welsh rugby union team, as the highest level of Welsh rugby union, represent Wales at the national sport of rugby union. ... Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium (Welsh: Stadiwm y Mileniwm) in Cardiff is the national stadium of Wales, used primarily for rugby union and football. ... The Norman Keep, Cardiff Castle Aerial view of the Millennium Stadium The Wales Millennium Centre Opening of Millennium Centre The Cardiff Indoor Market Cardiff (Welsh: Caerdydd) is the capital and largest city of Wales. ... The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. ... The Gaelic Athletic Association (The GAA) (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael) is an organisation which is mostly focussed on promoting Irish sports, such as hurling and camogie, Gaelic football and handball, and rounders. ... Croke Park (Irish: Páirc an Chrócaigh) in Dublin, Ireland is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Irelands biggest sporting organisation. ...

Results

Results of the Four (1883–1909), Five (1910–1999) and Six Nations championships. Prior to 1994, teams equal on points shared the championship. After that date, ties were broken by considering the points difference of the teams.

Home Nations 1883–1909

Five Nations 1910–1999

Combatants Entente Powers Central Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties > 5 million military deaths > 3 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War I, also known as the First World War and (before 1939) the Great War, the War of the Nations, War to End All Wars, was a world... Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 7 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War II, also known as the Second World War (sometimes WW2 or WWII or World War Two), was a mid-20th century conflict that engulfed much of the...

Six Nations 2000–present

The 2005 Six Nations Championship was the sixth edition of the Rugby Union Six Nations Championship to be held since the competition expanded in 2000 to include Italy. ... The 2006 Six Nations Championship will be the seventh edition of the Rugby Union Six Nations Championship to be held since the competition expanded in 2000 to include Italy. ...

By number of wins

The "Triple Crown" is awarded when one of the four British and Irish teams beats the other three. The Grand Slam is said to occur when a team wins all of its matches. The team that comes bottom of the championship is said to have won the "Wooden Spoon", and a team losing all of its matches is referred to as a "whitewash". In 2005 Wales won the Grand Slam and Triple Crown, becoming the first team ever to win a Grand Slam playing more games away than at home. Italy suffered a whitewash and were left with the Wooden Spoon. Starting in 2006, a physical trophy will be awarded should a team win the Triple Crown. In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. ... A Wooden Spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. ...

The Five and Six Nations Championships have been left incomplete once, in 1972 when Wales and Scotland refused to play in Ireland for political reasons. Prior to this the only examples were when the Tournament was the Four Nations Championships. 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year that started on a Tuesday. ...

See also

• England national rugby union team
• France national rugby union team
• Ireland national rugby union team
• Italy national rugby union team
• Scotland national rugby union team
• Wales national rugby union team
• European Nations Cup (Rugby Union)
• Grand Slam
• Triple Crown
• Wooden spoon
• Calcutta Cup
• Millennium Trophy

England Rugby is the name of the English national rugby union team. ... The France national rugby union team are also known as les Blues or les Tricolores. ... The Ireland national rugby union team is Irelands international rugby union team. ... Early history Forms of football involving both hands and feet have long been played in Italy from harpastrum in Roman times to Calcio Fiorentino in the medieval era. ... Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union, a founder member of the International Rugby Board in 1886 with fellow Celtic nations Ireland and Wales. ... The Welsh rugby union team, as the highest level of Welsh rugby union, represent Wales at the national sport of rugby union. ... Also referred to as the Six Nations B or simply ENC, the European Nations Cup is a second-level competition for European nations where Rugby Union is still an amateur sport. ... A Grand Slam can completed in two ways in rugby union. ... In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. ... A Wooden Spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. ... The Calcutta Cup is a rotating trophy awarded to the winner of an annual rugby union match between the national teams of England and Scotland. ... The Millennium Trophy is a Rugby Union award contested annually by Ireland and England as part of the Rugby Union Six Nations Championship. ...

External links

• 6 Nations official site
• 6 Nations at the BBC
• Six nations news from Planet Rugby