What is the Six Nations Grand Slam and Who Has Won it the Most Times?

Without a doubt, the Grand Slam is one of rugby union’s greatest accolades. As the highest honour awarded at the Six Nations, this title is only claimed if the Championship-winning team wins all five of their matches.

As a Six Nations fan, you’ll understand the significance of the Grand Slam. However, you might not know when the first Grand Slam occurred, how many teams have secured this title or how many times it has been won.

Here’s all the info you need to know about the Six Nations Grand Slam.

Who has won the most Six Nations Grand Slams?

The England rugby team has won the most Six Nations Grand Slams. To date, they’ve enjoyed 13 Grand Slam-winning campaigns. They claimed their first in 1913 and their most recent in 2016. 

Wales sit just below England with 12 Grand Slams. This is followed by France with 10, Ireland with four and Scotland with three. To date, Italy are the only team without a Grand Slam title. In fact, they haven’t won the tournament at all!

Who won the first Grand Slam at the Six Nations?

Wales were the first Six Nations Grand Slam winners. They won the first Grand Slam at the 1908 Home Nations Championship. Although France were not officially enrolled in the tournament, additional games were arranged that saw England and Wales play against France.

By the close of the tournament on 21 March 1908, Wales defeated their three Home Nations opponents and France. As a result, they won their fifth Triple Crown and the first ever Grand Slam. They then repeated the feat the very next year!

This was a golden period for Wales, and they also won the first Five Nations Grand Slam in 1911. Fast forward nearly a century and France secured the first Grand Slam of the modern Six Nations era in 2002. 

How many Grand Slams have been won at the Six Nations?

In total, 42 Grand Slams have been claimed at the Six Nations. This includes all iterations of the tournament, from the Home Championship and Five Nations Championship to the current Six Nations Championship. 

Two Grand Slams were secured during the Home Nations Championship: Wales won the accolade in 1908 and again in 1909. Next, there were 27 during the Five Nations. Since 2000, there have been 13 Grand Slams at the Six Nations. 

How many teams have won successive Grand Slams?

Three teams have won consecutive Six Nations Grand Slams: England, France and Wales. Wales achieved this feat first (1908 and 1909). Next, England followed in 1913-14 and 1923-24, before achieving the feat for a third time in 1991-92. Most recently, France won back-to-back Grand Slams in 1997 and 1998.

As it stands, no nation has won successive Grand Slams during the current Six Nations format. 

Grand Slam Six Nations winners by year

Here’s the complete list of Grand Slam rugby results: