6 Nations Stats & Facts
The 6 Nations is one of rugby’s most historic and cherished tournaments that dates back to 1883. In that time there have been over 100 editions of the Home Nations Championship (5 Nations or 6 Nations) in some form that have entertained the rugby masses.
But through all these years it begs the question of who’s won the most titles? Who’s scored the most tries in single tournament or in all time? In this post we are going give a breakdown some of the stats and facts on one of rugby’s oldest competitions.
Overall stats (1883-Present)
With so many years of ferocious competition, it may come as a surprise to many that prior to the 2025 6 Nations, England and Wales hold the same number of titles, with the only difference being the number of outright wins, England having won 29 to Wales’ 28 titles.
Despite not winning their first title untill their second paticipation in the 5 Nations, France have managed to rank as the third most successful team in the competition’s history. While Ireland’s success across the 21st century has seen them gain an edge on Scotland in recent years, moving them into fourth place in the all-time ranking.
Championship Titles
| Position | Country | Championship Wins | Outright Wins | Shared Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | England | 39 | 29 | 10 |
| 2. | Wales | 39 | 28 | 11 |
| 3. | France | 26 | 18 | 8 |
| 4. | Ireland | 24 | 16 | 8 |
| 5. | Scotland | 22 | 14 | 8 |
| 6. | Italy | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Grand Slams
England again lead Wales overall for Grand Slams and Triple Crowns, with the other Home Nations lagging behind their rivals.
| Position | Country | Grand Slams |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | England | 13 |
| 2. | Wales | 12 |
| 3. | France | 10 |
| 4. | Ireland | 4 |
| 5. | Scotland | 3 |
| 6. | Italy | 0 |
Triple Crowns (Home Nations only)
| Position | Country | Triple Crowns |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | England | 26 |
| 2. | Wales | 22 |
| 3. | Ireland | 13 |
| 4. | Scotland | 10 |
Wooden Spoons
An award that no team ever wants to win, the Wooden Spoon goes to the side that finishes last every year. Sadly, this highlights Italy’s struggles in their relatively short time in the 6 Nations, as they’ve had more last place finishes than England and France, with the potential to overtake Wales this year.
Surprisingly it’s Ireland that holds the record for wooden spoons, although they haven’t been bottom since the penultimate 5 Nations in 1998. England are the only other side to go longer than the Irish without a Wooden Spoon (1987) and are the only team to not finish bottom in the 6 Nations era.
| Position | Country | Wooden Spoons | Most REcent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ireland | 25* | 1998 |
| 2. | Scotland | 24 | 2015 |
| 3. | Wales | 18 | 2024 |
| 4. | Italy | 18 | 2023 |
| 5. | England | 17* | 1987 |
| 6. | France | 13 | 2013 |
(*Yet to record a Wooden Spoon in the 6 nations era)
6 Nations win percentages (2000-2024)
Unsurprisingly, Ireland, France and England all boast high win percentages in the 6 Nations, with Wales recent struggles seeing them drop to just above 50%. Scotland’s ranking may not come as a shock to many since the 6 Nations inception, but it may be a frustrating stat for Murrayfield faithful, as a woeful 33% leaves them miles behind their home nation rivals.
That seven year losing streak along with 18 wooden spoons sees the Italians rock bottom, with a big turnaround required to change that anytime soon.
| Position | Country | Win Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ireland | 68% |
| 2. | France | 65% |
| 3. | England | 63% |
| 4. | Wales | 51% |
| 5. | Scotland | 33% |
| 6. | Italy | 12% |
Team Facts
- Most tries by one team in a game: Scotland with 12 vs Wales in 1887
- Most points conceded in a season: Italy with 239 points in 2021
- Fewest points scored in a campaign: Italy with 42 points in 2001
- Most tries scored in a single season: England with 29 tries in 2001
Player Stats & Facts
Player of the Championship (Since introduction of the award in 2004)
| Country | No. of Wins | Winning Player |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 7 | Gordon D’Arcy, Brian O’Driscoll x3, Tommy Bowe, Paul O’Connell, Jacob Stockdale |
| Wales | 5 | Martyn Williams, Shane Williams, Dan Lydiate, Leigh Halfpenny, Alun Wyn Jones |
| France | 3 | Antoine Dupont (x3) |
| Scotland | 3 | Stuart Hogg (x2), Hamish Watson |
| Italy | 2 | Andrea Masi, Tommaso Menoncello |
| England | 1 | Mike Brown |
Most Appearances All-time
| Position | Player | Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sergio Parisse (Italy) | 69* |
| 2. | Alun Wyn Jones (Wales) | 67 |
| 3. | Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland) | 65* |
| 4. | Rory Best (Ireland) | 64 |
| 5. | Cian Healy (Ireland) | 64 |
Most Points
| Position | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Johnny Sexton (Ireland) | 566 |
| 2. | Ronan O’Gara (Ireland) | 557 |
| 3. | Jonny Wilkinson (England) | 546 |
| 4. | Owen Farrell (England) | 528 |
| 5. | Stephen Jones (Wales) | 467 |
Most Tries
| Position | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland) | 26 |
| 2. | Ian Smith (Scotland) | 24 |
| 3. | George North (Wales) | 23 |
| 4. | Shane Williams (Wales) | 22 |
| 5= | Gareth Edwards (Wales), Cyril Lowe (England), Rory Underwood (England) | 18 |
Player Facts
- Jonny Wilkinson (England) holds the records for most points in an individual game, 35 points vs Italy in 2001; and a single season, 89 points in 2001
- The record for most tries in a single game is held by George Lindsay for Scotland; 5 tries vs Wales in 1887
- The record for most tries scored in a season is held by both Cyril Lowe, England, 1914; and Ian Smith, 1925; with 8 each
- Ronan O’Gara of Ireland holds the record for career penalties scored in the 6 Nations with 109