| The six nations is a rugby tournament held anually | | | | the six nations is played. The Millennium Trophy is |
| between the major six rugby playing nations in | | | | awarded to the victor of the England/Ireland game |
| Europe: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and | | | | and in 2007 France and Italy started contesting the |
| Wales. Each team plays every other team once with | | | | Giuseppe Garibladi Trophy named after the man who |
| home field advantage alternating from one year to | | | | helped to unify Italy. |
| the next. Matches are played in some of the largest | | | | The victor of each match is awarded two points for |
| stadiums in the world and generally roared on by a | | | | a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. There are |
| vociferous crowd. | | | | no bonus points awarded for the number of tries |
| If one team manages to defeat all of the other | | | | that a team manages to score. Before 1994, any |
| teams in the tournament, they are said to have | | | | teams that finished on the same number of points |
| completed "The Grand Slam." A Grand Slam has only | | | | shared the championship. However, since that time |
| been won back to back five times, most recently by | | | | the idea of 'points difference' has been introduced. If |
| France in 1997 and 1998, and the record for the | | | | the points difference is the same between two |
| overall number of Grand Slams won is held by | | | | teams at the top of the table, then the championship |
| England with 12. | | | | is given to the team who has scored the most tries. |
| If any of the Home Nations (i.e England, Ireland, | | | | Only if that number is equal too is the Championsip |
| Scotland or Wales) manage to beat all of the other | | | | declared a tie. |
| home nations, they are said to have won the Triple | | | | At the time of writing, a tie has never been reached. |
| Crown which has been won on four occasions twice | | | | Six Nations rugby tickets are notoriously hard to |
| by Wales (1976-1979) and England (1995-1998). In | | | | come by with allocations selling out incredibly quickly |
| fact it is England who hold the record for the number | | | | despite the size of some of the stadiums. It's |
| of Triple Crowns won with 23 individual titles. Wales | | | | testiment to the history of the competition and the |
| are close behind with 20 Triple Crowns to their name. | | | | passion that it generates that tickets are snapped up |
| One of the things that makes the Six Nations | | | | almost as soon as they're available. |
| tournament so unique are the number of smaller | | | | If you're lucky enough to be able to get yourself a |
| compeitions which take place under the umbrella of | | | | ticket though, I'd thoroughly recommend going to a |
| the main competition. | | | | Six Nations match as the experience is second to |
| The oldest of these has been around since 1879 and | | | | none. |
| is known as The Calcutta Cup which is contested | | | | At the time of writing, the current holders of the Six |
| each year between England and Scotland. More | | | | Nations Championship are Ireland who managed to |
| recently, additional trohpies are played for each time | | | | complete the Grand Slam in 2009. |