In the world of rugby, the Six Nations Championship is one of the greatest annual events. Also known as the Guinness Six Nations too, the rugby competition is held between the six top-ranked rugby teams from Europe, namely England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Italy and France.
The Six Nations Cup found its origins from the Home Nations Championships held from 1883 to 1909 and again from 1932 to 1939, which also happened to be the first international rugby tournament. The Home National Championship was a competition between the teams from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Later on, when France also became part of the rugby union, the tournament was renamed the Five Nations Championship, and was held from 1910 to 1931 and again from 1947 to 1999. Finally, with the addition of Italy to the rugby men’s union, the tournament was labeled the Six Nations Championship in 2000.
Six Nations 2020
The competing teams mainly play to win the Championship Trophy, which is presented to the victorious side in the Six Nations Championships finals. The Grand Slam is another trophy, which is awarded to the side that wins all its games. Last, but not the least, is the Triple Crown, which is exclusively awarded to only the teams from the Home Nations (England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales). The Triple Crown is given to the team that wins all the matches against rivals in the entire Six Nations Championship tournament.
Apart from the Championship Trophy, the Grand Slam and Triple Crown there are several other trophies also awarded for matches held under the tournament. These are the additional rivalry trophies that teams compete for during the Six Nations Championships:
| Trophy | Teams | First Awarded In |
| Calcutta Cup | England and Scotland | 1879 |
| Centenary Quaich | Ireland and Scotland | 1989 |
| Millennium Trophy | England and Ireland | 1988 |
| Auld Alliance Trophy | France and Scotland | 2018 |
| Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy | France and Italy | 2007 |
| Doddie Weir Cup | Wales and Scotland | 2018 (Autumn) |
Till date, the Six Nations Championship tournament is held in one of six stadiums in the participating nations, which individually act as hosts for the tournament through a draw.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| England | Twickenham Stadium | 82,000 seats |
| Wales | Principality Stadium | 74,500 seats |
| France | Stade de France | 81,338 seats |
| Scotland | Murrayfield Stadium | 67,144 seats |
| Italy | Stadio Olimpico | 72,698 seats |
| Ireland | Aviva Stadium | 51,700 seats |
List of Six Nations Winners, Runners Up From 2000-2019
Here is the list of Six Nations Winners and Runners Up, from 2000 to 2019:
| Year | Championship Trophy | Grand Slam Trophy | Triple Crown Trophy |
| 2000 | England | – | – |
| 2001 | England | – | – |
| 2002 | France | France | England |
| 2003 | England | England | England |
| 2004 | France | France | Ireland |
| 2005 | Wales | Wales | Wales |
| 2006 | France | – | Ireland |
| 2007 | France | – | Ireland |
| 2008 | Wales | Wales | Wales |
| 2009 | Ireland | Ireland | Ireland |
| 2010 | France | France | – |
| 2011 | England | – | – |
| 2012 | Wales | Wales | Wales |
| 2013 | Wales | – | – |
| 2014 | Ireland | – | England |
| 2015 | Ireland | – | – |
| 2016 | England | England | England |
| 2017 | England | – | – |
| 2018 | Ireland | Ireland | Ireland |
| 2019 | Wales | Wales | Wales |
How many Six Nations Championship Each Country has Won?
Now that you know the list of Six Nations Cup Winners and Runners Up, let’s check how many Six Nations Championship each country has won:
| Team | Championships Won |
| England | 6 (Six) – 2000, 2001, 2003, 2011, 2016 & 2017 |
| Ireland | 4 (Four) – 2009, 2014, 2015 & 2018 |
| Scotland | None |
| Wales | 5 (Five) – 2005, 2008, 2012, 2013 & 2019 |
| France | 5 (Five) – 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007 & 2010 |
| Italy | None |
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