Rugby Union Six Nations Championship

The Six Nations Championship, (2000-) formerly known as the Five Nations Championship, is an annual international rugby union competition held between six European sides; England, France, Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

History

The Five Nations Championship, with its predecessor, the Home Championship, was the premier international rugby union tournament in the Northern hemisphere. After 12 years of occasional friendly matches between the teams, the inaugural Home Championship, comprising England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales was played in 1883. The addition of the French in 1910 brought the number of nations to five. Following the 1930 competition, France was expelled from the Five Nations amid allegations of professionalism and concerns over on-field violence. France was readmitted following the 1939 competition, but World War II caused the suspension of the Five Nations until 1947.

Related Topics:
Home - Rugby union - England - Ireland - Scotland - Wales - 1883 - French - 1910 - 1930 - 1939 - World War II - 1947

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After the competition resumed, it remained the Five Nations for over a half-century. Then a sixth team, Italy, joined the competition in 2000. Since then it has been known as the Six Nations Championship.

Related Topics:
Italy - 2000

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The importance of the competition has decreased slightly since the introduction of the Rugby Union World Cup, but the long standing rivalries between teams mean that it remains a passionate and fiercely contested prize. Despite the quality of the teams involved, the Tri Nations Series does not arouse the same level of passion and intensity, and is a much younger competition, begun in 1996 in the Southern hemisphere.

Related Topics:
Rugby Union World Cup - Tri Nations Series

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