Explore every fixture from the 2008 Six Nations Championship here at RugbyPass. Whether you want to read a blow-by-blow account of each round or you’re looking for the highlights, our rugby gurus have compiled the most important details.
From the first round to Super Saturday, take a look below to recap Wales’ 10th Grand Slam at the Six Nations 2008.
2008 Six Nations Stats: Who Won the Six Nations 2008?
Six Nations 2008 Winner: Wales
The 2008 Six Nations Championship kicked off on Saturday 2 February. It was the ninth annual Six Nations and the 114th edition of the Championship (including the Home and Five Nations).
By Super Saturday on 15 March, Wales had earned their 10th Grand Slam win. They skillfully outclassed their opponents to complete the clean sweep, securing their 24th outright title and 19th Triple Crown. This was a complete u-turn on their 2007 performance, when Wales won just one match and finished fifth.
Wales’ winning campaign was nothing short of a Six Nations masterclass; they conceded just two Championship tries, beating England’s record of four. In comparison, defending champions France lost two matches and finished in third place.
In addition to their stunning result, one Welsh player outperformed the rest. Shane Williams was the top try scorer with six tries and he was also voted as the Six Nations 2008 Player of the Tournament. The accolade of top point scorer went to the legendary Jonny Wilkinson, who kicked 50 points.
Round One Review
Match one: Ireland 16-11 Italy (Croke Park, Dublin)
Match two: England 19-26 Wales (Twickenham Stadium, London)
Match three: Scotland 6-27 France (Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
Round one opened with a surprisingly narrow victory for Ireland. It all came down to the second half, when Italy successfully scored a try and a penalty to keep Ireland within touching distance. Fortunately, Ireland had already done enough and they finished the match with a shaky 16-11 win.
After a lacklustre 2007, Wales produced a spectacular comeback. The match started out well for England, who dominated the first half but a resurgent Wales retaliated in the second. The Welsh side scored two tries in three minutes – both converted by James Hook – and a dumbfounded England failed to reply.
This 26-19 result was Wales’ first victory against England at Twickenham in 20 years.
Next, the round culminated with France’s victory over Scotland. Helped by a brace from Vincent Clerc, the defending champions surpassed the Scots at every turn. In the end, Scotland’s only points came from Dan Parks and the game finished 27-6.
Round Two Review
Match one: Wales 30-15 Scotland (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)
Match two: France 26-21 Ireland (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
Match three: Italy 19-23 England (Stadio Flaminio, Rome)
Round two of the Six Nations 2008 tournament featured Wales’ second victory. The Welsh side were on winning form, perfectly executing every play in their 15-point win. It was the opposite for Scotland, who endured another devastating blow.
It was an altogether tighter affair for the France v Ireland encounter. Held at the Stade de France, Les Bleus scored the majority of their points in the first half. Ireland provided plenty of trouble in the second, but France managed to notch a 26-21 win.
Clearly buoyed by their performance in 2007, Italy gave England cause for concern. This strenuous clash saw Italy bounce back from a 20-6 half-time deficit. A 76th-minute try from Simon Picone led to a tense finish, with England coming out on top by just four points.
Round Three Review
Match one: Wales 47-8 Italy (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)
Match two: Ireland 34-13 Scotland (Croke Park, Dublin)
Match three: France 13-24 England (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
While England laboured against Italy, Wales made easy work of the Azzurri. Italy scored eight points before the break but they couldn’t compete in the second half. With braces from Lee Byrne and Shane Williams, Wales produced a comfortable victory.
Next, Ireland won the Centenary Quaich. The men in green launched attack after attack to achieve a comfortable 34-13 triumph over Scotland. This result was cemented by Tommy Bowe, who scored his second try with one minute left on the clock.
Round three of the 2008 Six Nations put an end to hopes of a successive Grand Slam for France. England ultimately sealed their 24-13 victory with Paul Sackey’s 79th-minute try. This was a monumental result for England; it was their first Six Nations away win against France since 2000.
Round Four Review
Match one: Ireland 12-16 Wales (Croke Park, Dublin)
Match two: Scotland 15-9 England (Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh)
Match three: France 25-13 Italy (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
Following France’s loss in round three, Wales were now the only team in contention for the Grand Slam. They kept this dream alive with a 16-12 win against Ireland in Dublin. What’s more, their 16-12 result also sealed their 19th Triple Crown.
Next, Scotland secured their only win of the 2008 Six Nations. With Chris Paterson kicking four penalties from four, Scotland finally triumphed in this tryless 15-9 match and claimed the Calcutta Cup. It wasn’t all bad news for England though. Jonny Wilkinson became the all-time scoring leader in international rugby during the match.
The round four finale saw France overpower Italy 25-13. Les Bleus scored three tries at home and won their second successive Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy. However, this eight-point margin failed to shake up the points table and left Wales in pole position.
Round Five Review
Match one: Italy 23-20 Scotland (Stadio Flaminio, Rome)
Match two: England 33-10 Ireland (Twickenham Stadium, London)
Match three: Wales 29-12 France (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)
Held on 15 March, Super Saturday featured three home wins for Italy, England and Wales.
Scotland produced two early tries against Italy but they failed to fully establish control. Instead, the two sides traded points, with Andrea Marcato’s last-gasp drop-goal ultimately securing a home win for the Azzurri. Despite this, Italy still finished in last place; they needed a five-point margin to secure fifth.
England finished the 2008 Six Nations on a high. With Twickenham at capacity, they outplayed and outmanoeuvred Ireland. They beat the men in green 33-10 and won their first Millennium Trophy since 2003.
Finally, Wales sealed the Grand Slam with a stunning 29-12 display. The Welsh squad repeatedly mobbed France’s defence and scored two spectacular second-half tries. This included a try from Shane Williams, whose effort made him Wales’ top try scorer – this was his 41st international try.
Six Nations Table 2008
Here are the Six Nations results from 2008:
Team | Won | Lost | Points Difference | Tries For | Total Points |
Wales | 5 | 0 | +82 | 13 | 10 |
England | 3 | 2 | +25 | 8 | 6 |
France | 3 | 2 | +10 | 11 | 6 |
Ireland | 2 | 3 | -6 | 9 | 4 |
Scotland | 1 | 4 | -54 | 3 | 2 |
Italy | 1 | 4 | -57 | 6 | 2 |
The Six Nations 2008 tournament was conquered by one team: Wales. From start to finish, the Welsh squad conceded just two tries. This meant they had the tightest defence in Six Nations history. It was also Wales’ second Grand Slam in the current Six Nations format – they first claimed the accolade in 2005.
Because Wales beat France by more than three points, England finished the tournament in second place. This left France in third with a +10 points difference compared to England’s +25.
