- Ask Steven
Bouncing back
John GriffithsFebruary 26, 2015
How often has a team that lost its opening Championship match gone on to take the title outright? Tom Clark, England
The International Championship in its various Four-, Five- and Six Nations formats has been running (almost) continuously since 1883.
There have been only two occasions since it became the Six Nations in 2000 when opening weekend defeats have been overturned and the losers became champions. France did so in 2006 after losing 20-16 against Scotland at Murrayfield and Wales lost 30-22 to Ireland in Cardiff two years ago before storming back to win the title outright.
All told, nine nations have recovered from an opening defeat to carry off the title outright:
- Three times - Ireland in 1935, 1949 and 1974
- Three times - France in 1967, 1993 and 2006
- Once - Scotland in 1904
- Once - England in 1996
- Once - Wales in 2013
John Griffiths is a widely respected rugby historian and is the author of several sports books, a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph and co-author of the IRB International Rugby Yearbook. He has provided insight for Scrum.com since 1999.
