Six Nations: Who has won the most Six Nations?

Planet Rugby
Six Nations captains

In the year 2000, the competition known as the Five Nations, became the Six Nations. This piece will uncover how many Six Nations titles each union has won and most importantly, who has claimed the most Six Nations Championships.

How many times have Wales won the Six Nations?

Wales have won six Championship titles since the competition became the Six Nations in 2000. They won those in 2005, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2019 and 2021. Wales have been part of the Championship since it first began in 1883 and was formerly known as the Home Nations Championship.

Wales hold the record along with France for the highest number of Grand Slams, winning their fourth Slam in 2019. Shane Williams has played for Wales’ national team in the Six Nations and has scored the third highest number of tries in Six Nations history, claiming 22 in his career.

How many times have Scotland won the Six Nations?

Scotland have won zero Six Nations Championship titles since the competition became the Six Nations. They were the last nation to lift the trophy when the Championship was known as the Five Nations. Since Italy joined in 2000 and it became the Six Nations, Scotland have not won any Six Nations titles.

Ian Smith played for Scotland’s national team between 1924-1933 and scored 24 tries in the Five Nations Championship. Smith held the record for the highest number of tries scored in a Five or Six Nations competition until 2011 when his record was surpassed. This leaves Smith as the second highest try scorer in the history of the Five and Six Nations championships.

Scotland hold the record for highest number of losing bonus points (22) to be awarded, (they lose the game but score more than four tries in the match and/or lose the game by seven points or fewer).

How many times have Italy won the Six Nations?

Since joining the competition in 2000, Italy have not won any Six Nations Championship titles. When Italy play against France in the Six Nations competition, they competed for the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy. Italy have only won this trophy twice.

They currently hold the record for the most Wooden Spoon awards received in the competition, finishing bottom at the end of the Championship 14 times. Italy also has the most capped player in the history of the Six Nations, with Sergio Parisse having played for Italy in the Six Nations 69 times.

How many times have Ireland won the Six Nations?

Since 2000, Ireland have won four Six Nations Championship titles, most recently in 2018 (2009, 2014, 2015, 2018).

Brain O’Driscoll played for Ireland’s national team in the Six Nations and he currently holds the record for the most tries scored in the Six Nations competition, scoring 26 tries in his career. As well as this, Johnny Sexton holds the record for the most successful conversions scored in the history of the Six Nations, with 97 conversions.

How many times have France won the Six Nations?

France was added to the Home Nations competition in 1947, where the tournament was renamed the Five Nations.

France are joint second in the list of most Six Nations titles won, winning six titles since the competition became the Six Nations in 2000. Their most recent win was in 2022, when French national player Antione Dupont received player of the tournament award.

France also achieved their fourth Grand Slam status since 2000 in the 2022 competition, winning five games from five.

How many times have England won the Six Nations?

Finally, England tops the list of the most Six Nations Championship titles won since 2000, winning seven titles in the years 2000, 2001, 2003, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2020.

Jonny Wilkinson played for the English national team and currently holds the record for the most drop goals scored in the Six Nations, scoring 11 in his career in the Six Nations.

England have other trophies to win in the Six Nations, including the Millennium Trophy (winner of England v Ireland) and the Calcutta Cup (winner of England v Scotland).

There we have it. A look into each of the Unions’ historical pedigree in rugby’s greatest competition – the Six Nations. The question is, who is going to add another championship title to their list in 2023?