The Guinness Six Nations is arguably one of the most exciting and iconic rugby tournaments in the world. Taking place every year, The Guinness Six Nations consists of rugby’s elite and is contested by England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy. Every year the tournament brings anticipation, excitement, and of course ferocious rugby.

In this blog, we will be looking into the history of the tournament and looking ahead to the 2024 edition fast approaching. 

Tournament history

Founded in 1882 and initially named ‘The Home Nations Championships’ - England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales competed against one another for the coveted title. In 1910 France joined the party which meant a rename, and from 1910 – 2000 it became known as the ‘The Five Nations’ tournament. 

Fast forward 90 years after the millennium where Italy were accepted into the tournament, and it was from then on that the ‘The Six Nations’ as we know it today was born.

So, we’ve delved into the iconic tournament and the iconic teams that make up ‘The Six Nations’, and we think it’s about time we looked into some of the iconic venues that host this sporting spectacle. There is the Stade de France in Paris, Murrayfield in Edinburgh, the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, the Stadio Olimpico in Rome and of course The Home of England Rugby, Twickenham Stadium.

All of these venues are iconic in their own right and all of which help make the tournament as exciting as it is. But, here at Keith Prowse, we hold a special soft spot for Twickenham Stadium. The roar of 82,000 people singing swing low, the history & heritage it holds and the fact it’s located just a stone’s throw from our office, are just a few reasons we think it’s that little bit extra special. 

Recent history

Since the appointment of Eddie Jones in November 2015, England have enjoyed a lot of success in the Six Nations. After the disappointment of crashing out in the group stages of their home World Cup, Jones was expected to be part of a long-term project to restore England to the glory of the previous decade. In 2016, with just 3 months coaching at Pennyhill Park, the England team managed to win the grand slam, and have since followed this success up with wins in 2017 and 2020. In 2018 a resurgent Ireland stormed to a grand slam victory, whilst Wales won the tournament in 2019 and 2021 under the captaincy of ever-present Alun Wyn Jones. With Steve Borthwick becoming the England Men's Head Coach in December 2022, will he be able to guide the squad to greater success in 2024 after their 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign?

The 2024 Guinness Six Nations

Twickenham Stadium is hosting two mega matches in 2024 against where England will face Wales and Ireland. Here at Keith Prowse, we can’t wait to cheer on our England boys in a packed-out stadium once again for two elite rugby performances. These are two head-to-heads you simply won’t want to miss!

Interested in coming to see England play at the Home of Rugby, Twickenham Stadium? Click here to check out our hospitality experiences.