The Six Nations Rugby Championships is
the premier event of the Rugby Union calendar in the Northern
Hemisphere. A top international sporting event and the favourite of
sports fans throughout Europe. Here are six interesting facts about
Six Nations rugby.
The Six Nations Rugby
Championships superseded the Five Nations tournament in 2000 when
Italy joined the existing five competing nations of England,
Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France. The winners of the Championship
are now also known as the European Champions.
The format is a simple league
structure with each team playing the other once. Unlike similar
football tournaments there is no home and away fixture, rather home
advantage is alternated each year. If any team wins all their games
they are known to have won the Grand Slam, as well as the
Championship itself.
Since the Six Nations began,
France have won the Championship five times, England three times,
Wales twice and Ireland once. Scotland and Italy have not yet won
the Six Nations. All three of the last Championships were won with a
Grand Slam, France in 2010, Ireland in 2009 and Wales in 2008.
England last victory in the
tournament was back in 2003 following back to back victories in 2000
and 2001. Scotland's last triumph was back in the final year of the
old Five Nations competition in 1999.
Within the Six Nations
Championships other trophies are also up for grabs. The Triple Crown
is awarded to either England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales, if one of
those nations wins all their matches against each of the others. The
Calcutta Cup is awarded to the victors between England and Scotland.
The Millennium Trophy is awarded to the victors between England and
Ireland.
The winners of the Six Nations
Rugby Championships are now presented with the Championship Trophy
conceived by the Earl of Westmorland and first presented to France
in 1993. The trophy was originally silver on the inside but became
so corroded by champagne celebrations that it is now lined with 22
carat gold.
One
of the greatest things about the Six Nations as an international
tournament is that it comes around annually and I for one can't wait
for it to begin again.
Want
to know the best bookmakers for Six
Nations betting? Visit sportbettingonline,co
and find out how to get free rugby bets on all the
top Six Nations games.
