2020 Six Nations Championship
2020 Six Nations Championship | |||
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Date | 1 February – TBC | ||
Countries | |||
Tournament statistics | |||
Triple Crown | ![]() | ||
Official website | sixnationsrugby.com | ||
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The 2020 Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) is the 21st Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales, and the 126th edition of the competition (including all the tournament's previous versions as the Home Nations Championship and Five Nations Championship). The tournament began on 1 February 2020, and was scheduled to conclude on 14 March; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Italy's penultimate match against Ireland and all three of the final weekend's matches were postponed with the intention of being rescheduled.[1][2] It was the first time any match had been postponed since 2012, and the first time more than one match had been delayed since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001.[3]
Wales entered the tournament as defending champions, having beaten Ireland at the Millennium Stadium on the final day of the 2019 tournament to claim their first Grand Slam since 2012.[4]
Participants
Nation | Stadium | Head coach | Captain | ||
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Home stadium | Capacity | Location | |||
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Twickenham Stadium | 82,000 | London | ![]() |
Owen Farrell |
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Stade de France | 81,338 | Saint-Denis | ![]() |
Charles Ollivon |
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Aviva Stadium | 51,700 | Dublin | ![]() |
Jonathan Sexton |
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Stadio Olimpico | 73,261 | Rome | ![]() |
Luca Bigi |
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Murrayfield Stadium | 67,144 | Edinburgh | ![]() |
Stuart Hogg |
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Millennium Stadium | 73,931 | Cardiff | ![]() |
Alun Wyn Jones |
Squads
Table
Position | Nation | Games | Points | Tries | Bonus points | Table points | ||||||||
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Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | GS | Tries | Loser | |||
1 | ![]() |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 87 | 72 | +15 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
2 | ![]() |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 103 | 90 | +13 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
3 | ![]() |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 63 | 49 | +14 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
4 | ![]() |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 55 | 50 | +5 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
5 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 109 | 84 | +25 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
6 | ![]() |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 94 | −72 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Table ranking rules
- Four points are awarded for a win.
- Two points are awarded for a draw.
- A bonus point is awarded to a team that scores four or more tries in a match or loses a match by seven points or fewer. If a team scores four tries in a match and loses by seven points or fewer, they are awarded both bonus points.
- Three bonus points are awarded to a team that wins all five of their matches (a Grand Slam). This ensures that a Grand Slam winning team will always top the table with a minimum of 23 points. A team that loses a single match could only achieve a maximum of 22 points – they could win four matches with four try bonus points and lose the remaining match but still win two bonus points while losing that game.
- Tiebreakers:
- If two or more teams are tied on match points, the team with the better points difference (points scored less points conceded) is ranked higher.
- If the above tiebreaker fails to separate tied teams, the team that scores the higher number of total tries in its matches is ranked higher.
- If two or more teams remain tied for first place at the end of the championship after applying the above tiebreakers, the title will be shared between them.
Fixtures
The fixtures were announced on 20 March 2019. For the first time since 2013, no matches were scheduled on a Friday night. The final match of the tournament also returned to peak time for the first time since 2016.[5]
Round 1
1 February 2020 14:15 GMT (UTC+0) |
(1 BP) Wales ![]() | 42–0 | ![]() |
Try: Adams (3) 18' m, 30' c, 80+2' c Tompkins 59' c North 76' c Con: Biggar (2/3) 31', 61' Halfpenny (2/2) 77', 80+4' Pen: Biggar (3/3) 4', 11', 16' | Report Match data |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 68,582[6] Referee: Luke Pearce (England) |
Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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Notes:
- Johnny McNicholl and Nick Tompkins (both Wales) and Niccolò Cannone and Danilo Fischetti (both Italy) made their international debuts.
- Josh Adams became the second Welsh player to score a hat-trick in the Six Nations after George North scored three times against Italy in 2015.
- Italy were held to zero points for the first time since losing 29–0 to Scotland in 2017.
1 February 2020 16:45 GMT (UTC+0) |
Ireland ![]() | 19–12 | ![]() |
Try: Sexton 10' c Con: Sexton (1/1) 12' Pen: Sexton (4/5) 35', 45', 57', 73' | Report Match data | Pen: Hastings (4/5) 5', 16', 52', 66' |
Aviva Stadium, Dublin Attendance: 51,000[7] Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France) |
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Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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Notes:
- Caelan Doris and Rónan Kelleher (both Ireland), and Nick Haining (Scotland) made their international debuts.[8]
- Simon Berghan (Scotland) was originally named as a replacement, but he was replaced on the day of the game by W. P. Nel.[9]
- Ireland retained the Centenary Quaich.
2 February 2020 16:00 CET (UTC+1) |
France ![]() | 24–17 | ![]() |
Try: Rattez 6' c Ollivon (2) 20' c, 55' c Con: Ntamack (3/3) 7', 21', 56' Pen: Ntamack (1/1) 16' | Report Match data | Try: May (2) 57' c, 65' c Con: Farrell (2/2) 58', 65' Pen: Farrell (1/1) 80+2' |
Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 79,310[10] Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
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Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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Notes:
- Anthony Bouthier, Mohamed Haouas, Boris Palu, Arthur Vincent and Cameron Woki (all France) and George Furbank and Will Stuart (both England) made their international debuts.
- Damian Penaud (France) was originally named in the starting line-up, but was ruled out with a calf injury. Vincent Rattez replaced him, while Arthur Vincent took Rattez's place on the bench.[11]
- France won their opening Six Nations match for the first time since beating Italy 23–21 in 2016.[12] England lost their opening Six Nations match for the first time since 2014, which was also a loss to France in Paris.[citation needed]
- England failed to score points in the first half for the first time in a Six Nations match since their 35–3 victory over Ireland in 1988.[13]
Round 2
8 February 2020 14:15 GMT (UTC+0) |
(1 BP) Ireland ![]() | 24–14 | ![]() |
Try: Larmour 19' m Furlong 32' c Van der Flier 47' c Conway 75' m Con: Sexton (2/4) 33', 48' | Report Match data | Try: T. Williams 27' c Tipuric 80+1' c Con: Biggar (1/1) 28' Halfpenny (1/1) 80+2' |
Aviva Stadium, Dublin Attendance: 51,000[14] Referee: Romain Poite (France) |
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Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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Notes:
- Max Deegan (Ireland) made his international debut.[15]
- Owen Williams was named on the bench for Wales but was replaced by Jarrod Evans due to a calf injury.[16]
8 February 2020 16:45 GMT (UTC+0) |
(1 BP) Scotland ![]() | 6–13 | ![]() |
Pen: Hastings (2/2) 46', 78' | Report Match data | Try: Genge 70' c Con: Farrell (1/1) 71' Pen: Farrell (2/5) 11', 77' |
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 67,144[17] Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France) |
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Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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Notes:
- Ben Earl (England) made his international debut.
- England reclaimed the Calcutta Cup for the first time since 2017.
9 February 2020 16:00 CET (UTC+1) |
(1 BP) France ![]() | 35–22 | ![]() |
Try: Thomas 7' m Ollivon 18' m Alldritt 39' c Ntamack 59' m Serin 74' c Con: Ntamack (1/4) 40' Jalibert (1/1) 75' Pen: Ntamack (2/3) 3', 32' | Report Match data | Try: Minozzi 24' c Zani 65' c Bellini 80' m Con: Allan (2/2) 26', 66' Pen: Allan (1/2) 29' |
Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 52,000[18] Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland) |
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Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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Notes:
- Alessandro Zanni (Italy) was originally named in the starting line-up, but suffered an injury in the pre-match warm-up and replaced by Dean Budd. Budd's place on the bench was taken by Jimmy Tuivaiti.[19]
- France retained the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy.
Round 3
22 February 2020 15:15 CET (UTC+1) |
Italy ![]() | 0–17 | ![]() |
Report Match data | Try: Hogg 23' m Harris 47' m Hastings 79' c Con: Hastings (1/3) 80' |
Stadio Olimpico, Rome Attendance: 54,349 Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) |
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Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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22 February 2020 16:45 GMT (UTC+0) |
(1 BP) Wales ![]() | 23–27 | ![]() |
Try: Lewis 48' c Biggar 75' c Con: Biggar (2/2) 49', 75' Pen: Biggar (3/3) 4', 26', 35' | Report Match data | Try: Bouthier 7' c Willemse 30' c Ntamack 52' c Con: Ntamack (3/3) 8', 31', 53' Pen: Ntamack (2/2) 19', 63' |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 73,931 Referee: Matthew Carley (England) |
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Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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Notes:
- Will Rowlands (Wales), Dylan Cretin and Jean-Baptiste Gros (both France) made their international debuts.
- This was France's first Six Nations win in Cardiff since 2010.
23 February 2020 15:00 GMT (UTC+0) |
England ![]() | 24–12 | ![]() |
Try: Ford 8' c Daly 25' c Cowan-Dickie 62' c Con: Farrell (3/3) 9', 25', 64' Pen: Farrell (1/1) 40' | Report Match data | Try: Henshaw 50' m Porter 80+2' c Con: Cooney (1/1) 80+3' |
Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 81,476 Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) |
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Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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Notes:
- Jonathan Joseph (England) earned his 50th test cap.
- England retained the Millennium Trophy.
- Iain Henderson was named as a lock for Ireland, but withdrew from the team for family reasons; he was replaced by Devin Toner, whose place on the bench was taken by Ultan Dillane.
Round 4
7 March 2020 14:15 GMT (UTC+0) |
Ireland ![]() | Postponed | ![]() |
Aviva Stadium, Dublin Referee: Nic Berry (Australia) |
7 March 2020 16:45 GMT (UTC+0) |
England ![]() | 33–30 | ![]() |
Try: Watson 4' c Daly 32' c Tuilagi 61' c Con: Farrell (3/3) 6', 34', 62' Pen: Farrell (3/3) 16', 39', 45' Ford (1/1) 52' | Report Match data | Try: Tipuric (2) 41' c, 80+1' c Biggar 78' c Con: Biggar (3/3) 42', 78', 80+1' Pen: Halfpenny (2/2) 9', 21' Biggar (1/1) 40+1' |
Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 81,522 Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) |
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Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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Notes:
- England secured their 26th Triple Crown, their first since 2016.[citation needed]
- Manu Tuilagi became the first England player to be sent off since Elliot Daly was dismissed against Argentina in 2016. It was also the first red card in a Six Nations match since Stuart Hogg was sent off for Scotland against Wales in 2014.[citation needed]
- Alun Wyn Jones made a record 57th Six Nations appearance for Wales.[citation needed]
8 March 2020 15:00 GMT (UTC+0) |
Scotland ![]() | 28–17 | ![]() |
Try: Maitland (2) 40+1' m, 45' c McInally 64' c Con: Hastings (2/3) 46', 66' Pen: Hastings (3/3) 11', 19', 37' | Report Match data | Try: Penaud 33' c Ollivon 76' c Con: Jalibert (2/2) 34', 76' Pen: Jalibert (1/1) 61' |
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 67,144 Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand) |
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Man of the Match:
Touch judges:
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Notes:
- Kyle Steyn (Scotland) made his international debut.
- Fraser Brown (Scotland) earned his 50th test cap.
- With France's defeat, no team could win the Grand Slam.
- Scotland reclaimed the Auld Alliance Trophy.
- This was Scotland's 200th win in the Six Nations, including Home Nations and Five Nations tournaments.
- Scotland won back-to-back matches against France, after also defeating them in August 2019, for the first time since 1964.
- Camille Chat was named on the bench for France as hooker, but withdrew in the warm-up ahead of the game due to a hamstring injury, with Peato Mauvaka replacing him.
Round 5
14 March 2020 14:15 GMT (UTC+0) |
Wales ![]() | Postponed | ![]() |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia) |
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- Despite initially set to go ahead, and teams announced, this game was later postponed on 13 March.[20]
14 March 2020 17:45 CET (UTC+1) |
Italy ![]() | Postponed | ![]() |
Stadio Olimpico, Rome Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France) |
- Due to the coronavirus outbreak in Italy, this game was first arranged to be played behind closed doors, but was postponed the following day with the intention to be rescheduled.[21]
14 March 2020 21:00 CET (UTC+1) |
France ![]() | Postponed | ![]() |
Stade de France, Saint-Denis Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
- The match between France and Ireland was postponed on 9 March 2020 due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.[22]
Player statistics
Most pointsUpdated: 9 March 2020[23]
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Most triesUpdated: 9 March 2020[23]
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References
- ^ "Coronavirus: Ireland v Italy Six Nations games postponed over health concerns". BBC Sport. 26 February 2020.
- ^ "Coronavirus: England's Six Nations games against Italy postponed". BBC Sport. 5 March 2020.
- ^ "Six Nations: Matt Dawson & Shane Horgan remember 2001's delayed finale". BBC Sport. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ "Wales crush Ireland to win third Six Nations grand slam in 11 years". Guardian. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ "Fixtures announced for 2020 and 2021 Championships". Six Nations Rugby. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ "Wales 42-0 Italy: Josh Adams hat-trick helps Six Nations champions to bonus-point win". Sky Sports.
- ^ "Ireland 19-12 Scotland: Johnny Sexton scores all the points in Six Nations win". Sky Sports.
- ^ "Six Nations 2020: Ireland win 19-12 against wasteful Scotland". BBC Sport. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- ^ Burke, Andy (1 February 2020). "Six Nations: Scotland's Stuart Hogg apologises for 'schoolboy' error". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "France 24-17 England: Les Bleus storm to Six Nations win". Sky Sports.
- ^ Eddison, Paul (1 February 2020). "Penaud out as Rattez starts for France". sixnationsrugby.com. Six Nations Rugby. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Six Nations 2020: France v England team news, preview & key stats". BBC Sport. 1 February 2020.
- ^ Fordyce, Tom (2 February 2020). "France 24-17 England: England lose Six Nations opener in Paris".
- ^ "Ireland 24-14 Wales: Six Nations champions defeated in Dublin". Sky Sports.
- ^ Glennon, Micil (8 February 2020). "Deegan delighted with 'amazing' debut". RTE.ie. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ "Six Nations 2020: Wales fly-half Owen Williams out of tournament with hamstring injury". BBC Sport. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ "Scotland 6-13 England: Ellis Genge try helps England to Calcutta Cup win". Sky Sports.
- ^ "France 35-22 Italy: Stuttering France see off battling Italy". Sky Sports.
- ^ "France survive Storm Ciara, Italy comeback for Six Nations victory". France 24. AFP. 9 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ "Wales game postponed". sixnationsrugby.com. Six Nations Rugby. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- ^ "Six Nations statement on Italy v England games, weekend 13/14/15 March". sixnationsrugby.com. Six Nations Rugby. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- ^ "Six Nations: France v Ireland postponed because of coronavirus concerns". BBC Sport. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ a b "Statistics". Six Nations Rugby. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- 2020 Six Nations Championship
- Six Nations Championship seasons
- 2020 rugby union tournaments for national teams
- 2019–20 in European rugby union
- 2019–20 in Irish rugby union
- 2019–20 in English rugby union
- 2019–20 in Welsh rugby union
- 2019–20 in Scottish rugby union
- 2019–20 in French rugby union
- 2019–20 in Italian rugby union
- February 2020 sports events in Europe
- February 2020 sports events in the United Kingdom
- March 2020 sports events in Europe
- March 2020 sports events in the United Kingdom
- Current rugby union seasons
- Sports events postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic