Six Nations on TV and Stream

Historical Background

The Six Nations Championship as it is known today has only existed since the year 2000. Before that, it was known as the Five Nations Championship, as Italy was not part of the competition. The version with five nations dates back to 1910, however, this is not the oldest version of the championship.

In 1883, the Home Nations Championship was played between the four home nations of Great Britain. England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales competed in this rugby competition, until in 1888 when England was excluded due to their refusal to join the IRFB, or International Rugby Football Board. However, by 1890, England was back in the competition. France joined in 1910, changing the competition's name to reflect this addition.

Whilst the make-up of the event has remained relatively unchanged since 2000, there have been growing calls to include top tier teams Georgia and Romania to be included in a theoretical Eight Nations Championship.

Championship Format

Thousands of viewers from around the world catch the Six Nations Championship on tv during the short season. The competition's format is fairly simple, with each team playing every other team once. At the end of the 15 matches, the team with the highest number of points is the winner.

As of the 2016 event, the committee behind the Six Nations Championship decided to trial the bonus point system, common in other rugby union games. Teams get four points for a win, two for a draw and zero for a loss. A bonus point is awarded four or more tries in a match and another is awarded for losing with seven points or less. The Grand Slam winner, meaning the team which wins all five of its matches, gets an extra 3 bonus points.

Teams which end up at the bottom of the rankings get awarded the wooden spoon. Since 2000, when the competition became the Six Nations Championship, only Ireland and England had never been awarded this embarrassing accolade.

Trophies

The Six Nations Championship has a fascinating list of trophies that can be won. The Championship Trophy is the main one, and it attracts wild cheers from fans in the stadium and those watching live rugby on tv. For the 2015 edition, a new Champions Trophy was made. Designed by Thomas Lyte silversmiths, this trophy replaced the previous one used since 1993.

A secondary trophy which can be won during the Six Nations Championship is the Triple Crown. However, much to the delight of fans of English rugby, this trophy can only be won by any of the home nations. To receive the Triple Crown, one of the home nations must beat the other three. Since 2006 this prize turned into a physical trophy, designed and created by Hamilton & Inches.

Several other internal competitions during this Championship lead to minor victories. England and Scotland, for example, compete for the Calcutta Cup. Ireland and Scotland, meanwhile, battle it out for the Centenary Quaich. The newest additions to the competition, France and Italy, got into this spirit and developed the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy. France also challenges Scotland each year for the Auld Alliance Trophy.

Venues, Notable Records & Stats

Every team in the Six Nations Championship has its own home stadium, whose size varies considerably. England's home is at Twickenham Stadium which can hold up to 82,000 spectators. A close second is France's Stade de France, with a maximum capacity of 81,338. At the bottom of the list is Ireland and its Aviva Stadium, which can still hold a respectable 51,700 fans.

No stadium can, however, hold the hundreds of thousands of eager fans from across the globe watch the Six Nations Championship on tv every year.

England has been the most successful team since the creation of the Six Nations Championship, winning a total of six titles. Hot on its tails are Wales, the 2019 champions, and France, each with five wins to their name. Italy and Scotland have yet to win any Championship.

England also tops the list for most Grand Slams and Triple Crowns with a total of 13 and 25 respectively. Here too, Wales places second, with 12 Grand Slams and 21 Triple Crowns.

Italy and Scotland are not left empty-handed, however, in the rankings of the Six Nations Championships. In fact, Italy has the highest number of wooden spoons, at 14, with Scotland following with four. 

Players & Top Scorers

Fans who watch rugby tv are used to seeing familiar faces in the Six Nations Championship over the years. Brian O'Driscoll is one such example. The three-time winner of the Player of the Tournament award also holds the record for most Championship tries, at 26. Other noteworthy award winners include Alun Wyn Jones from Wales and two-time winner Stuart Hogg from Scotland.

Fellow Irishman Ronan O'Gara holds the career record for most points, a total of 557, whereas Englishman Jonny Wilkinson holds the record for most points in a single match in 2001, with 89. Wilkinson broke the previous record of 35 which he himself set earlier that same season.

Italian Sergio Parisse holds the record for most appearances, a total of 69 since he first debuted in the Six Nations Championship in 2004.

The Six Nations Championship is more accessible than ever, no matter where you live. Through a number of international broadcasting deals, you can find several options to watch live rugby on tv today, for free or as part of a premium package. Get to know the stars of this tv sport and hear experts discuss past performances and future predictions. The centuries-old competition continues to develop, and watching the Six Nations Championship on tv ensures that you don't miss any of the thrill and action.