Six Nations Rugby

The Six Nations rugby tournament is an international tournament played between six European Nations; England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France and Italy. The teams play each other team once, home and away fixtures between any two teams alternate each successive year. If a team progresses through the entire tournament winning every match then they achieve a ‘Grand Slam’ win.

The tournament has its roots in a single fixture between England and Scotland which was first played in 1871. In the 1880s, Wales and Ireland joined in and the Home International Championships were born.

France joined in on and off in the tournament from the early 1900s onwards but it was the end of the 1940s before the French became a permanent fixture. In 2000 Italy was added to the original five teams and thus the Five Nations became the Six Nations Tournament.

Six Nations | Six Nations Rugby Shirts