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Grand Slam (rugby union)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A Grand Slam can be completed in two ways in rugby union.
Contents |
In the Six Nations Championship and its predecessors, a grand slam is where one team beats all their opponents during one year's competition. [1] There is no official trophy for this achievement.
The term was probably first used in 1957 when The Times used the expression ‘Grand Slam’ to describe England's four wins in the (then) Five Nations Tournament.
No team has ever won three consecutive Grand Slams. Three teams, Wales in 1908/1909, England in 1913/1914, 1923/1924 and 1991/1992 and France in 1997/1998 have won two consecutive Grand Slams. In 2005, Wales became the first team ever to win the Grand Slam while playing more matches away than at home.
There have been 33 Grand Slam titles, with England winning 12, followed by Wales and France. Italy have not managed to achieve this performance since its inclusion in 2000.
In France it is called Le Grand Chelem.
| Grand Slams | |
|---|---|
| Team | Competitions |
 England |
1913, 1914, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1928, 1957, 1980, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2003 (12 times) |
 Wales |
1908, 1909, 1911, 1950, 1952, 1971, 1976, 1978, 2005 (9 times) |
 France |
1968, 1977, 1981, 1987, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004 (8 times) |
 Scotland |
1925, 1984, 1990 (3 times) |
 Ireland |
1948 (1 time) |
 Italy |
|
| 1882-1907 | Not possible due to France not taking part in the championship |
| 1908 | Wales |
| 1909 | Wales |
| 1910 | Not achieved |
| 1911 | Wales |
| 1912 | Not achieved |
| 1913 | England |
| 1914 | England |
| 1915-19 | Not held due to World War I |
| 1920 | Not achieved |
| 1921 | England |
| 1922 | Not achieved |
| 1923 | England |
| 1924 | England |
| 1925 | Scotland |
| 1926-27 | Not achieved |
| 1928 | England |
| 1929-31 | Not achieved |
| 1932-39 | Not possible due to French suspension from the championship |
| 1940–46 | Not held due to World War II |
| 1947 | Not achieved |
| 1948 | Ireland |
| 1949 | Not achieved |
| 1950 | Wales |
| 1951 | Not achieved |
| 1952 | Wales |
| 1953-56 | Not achieved |
| 1957 | England |
| 1958-67 | Not achieved |
| 1968 | France |
| 1969-70 | Not achieved |
| 1971 | Wales |
| 1972-75 | Not achieved |
| 1976 | Wales |
| 1977 | France |
| 1978 | Wales |
| 1979 | Not achieved |
| 1980 | England |
| 1981 | France |
| 1982-83 | Not achieved |
| 1984 | Scotland |
| 1985-86 | Not achieved |
| 1987 | France |
| 1988-89 | Not achieved |
| 1990 | Scotland |
| 1991 | England |
| 1992 | England |
| 1993-94 | Not achieved |
| 1995 | England |
| 1996 | Not achieved |
| 1997 | France |
| 1998 | France |
| 1999-2001 | Not achieved |
| 2002 | France |
| 2003 | England |
| 2004 | France |
| 2005 | Wales |
| 2006-07 | Not achieved |
A similar concept is the Triple Crown. If one of the Home Nations (England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland) manages to beat the other three, they win the Triple Crown. This was achieved in 2007 by Ireland.
A grand slam tour is one that takes in test matches against each of the four Home nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland).
If the touring side manage to win all four games they are said to have won the grand slam. This feat has been achieved once by Australia, twice by New Zealand and four times by South Africa.
 South Africa |
1912/13, 1931/32, 1951/52, 1960/61 |
 New Zealand |
1978, 2005 |
 Australia |
1984 |