The Six Nations Championship is one of rugby union’s biggest and most prestigious tournaments. Known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship purposes, the tournament is held annually from February to March and is contested by six of the northern hemisphere’s finest rugby teams: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.
Excited for the Six Nations 2024? Browse below to discover the latest news, upcoming fixtures and more.
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Want to keep up-to-date with this year’s rugby Six Nations Championship? Our experts have got you covered. Whether you’re searching for details about the current Six Nations squads or eager to review the most recent results, you’ll find every update in our 2024 Six Nations hub.
From the opening whistle in round one to the final phase of play in round five, our rugby gurus will guide you through every piece of action in the Six Nations 2024. Get ready for kick off with our fixtures page, calculate your team’s chances of glory with the standings page and enhance your rugby Six Nations knowledge with our FAQ page.
Not only is the Six Nations one of rugby’s greatest competitions, but it’s also the oldest international rugby tournament in history.
The Six Nations can be traced back to the Home Nations Championship (1883-1909 and 1932-1939), which was the first international rugby union tournament ever held. Although the modern tournament features six teams, the inaugural competition was contested by the four home nations: England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
In 1910, the tournament was expanded to include France and it subsequently became known as the Five Nations Championship (1910-1931 and 1940-1999). Finally, in 2000, Italy joined the tournament and the rugby union Six Nations was born.
Every year, Europe’s top six rugby teams compete to win the Six Nations Championship Trophy. Although this is the ultimate prize, there’s also a number of other trophies up for grabs. This includes the Grand Slam, a title that’s given to any team that wins all five of their Six Nations matches.
Next is the Triple Crown, a trophy that stirs up strong competition and secures bragging rights. The Triple Crown is presented to one of the home nations (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) if they win all of their games against the other home nations teams.
On top of this, so-called rivalry trophies are also available. For example, England and Scotland compete for the Calcutta Cup, while France and Italy play for the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy. Additionally, the Six Nations rugby teams battle for the Millennium Trophy, Centenary Quaich, Auld Alliance Trophy, Doddie Weir Cup and Cuttitta Cup.
