EXPLAINED: What is the Triple Crown in the Six Nations?

The Triple Crown is contested by the traditional 'Home Nations' of rugby, being England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The trophy is up for grabs in each of the annual men's and women's Six Nations, and is one of the most coveted awards to win from across the international rugby landscape.

Whilst Italy and France aren't able to compete for the Triple Crown, the title still holds plenty of prestige and is a hallmark of the early days of international rugby. The triple crown can only be won by a Home Nation that defeats their three other opponents - hence the 'triple' element behind the accolade.

To break it down for the 2026 Men's Six Nations, the Triple Crown is up for grabs as Ireland and Scotland kick off 'Super Saturday' with the early afternoon game. As Ireland and Scotland have both picked up Six Nations wins over England and Wales so far in the competition, the Triple Crown trophy will be handed to the winner of this Saturday's clash at the Aviva Stadium. The winner of the match would have successfully defeated their three other Home Nations rivals.

The Triple Crown has been claimed 72 times across the 129 Championships played between 1883 and 2025, with the tournament paused for twelve seasons due to the two World Wars. The most recent winners are Ireland, who secured the honour during the 2025 campaign, having also lifted the Triple Crown just two years earlier in 2023.

England remain the most successful nation in Triple Crown history, having lifted the honour 26 times across the various eras of the Championship. Their dominance has spanned more than a century, beginning with the early Home Nations tournaments in the 1880s and continuing into the modern Six Nations era, with recent titles in 2002, 2003, 2014, 2016 and 2020.

England’s most dominant period came in the late 1990s when they famously secured four consecutive Triple Crowns between 1995 and 1998. Wales sit second on the all-time list with 22 Triple Crowns, enjoying particularly strong spells during the early 20th century and again in the 1970s when they won four in a row from 1976 to 1979.

Ireland have climbed steadily up the rankings in the professional era and now boast 14 titles, including four in the Six Nations era and the most recent crown in 2025. Scotland round out the list with 10 Triple Crowns, though their success has been more sporadic, with their most recent coming in 1990.

By contrast, neither Scotland nor Ireland have managed to string together more than two successive Triple Crown triumphs in the history of the competition.

Winning the Triple Crown does not automatically mean lifting the Championship trophy. Because the honour is awarded to a Home Nation that defeats the other three, it is entirely possible for another side — only France to date, but never count out Italy — to claim the overall title or even the Grand Slam.

In rare cases, one Home Nation can win the Triple Crown while another finishes top of the table. This has happened several times, with Wales in 1977, England in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2014, and Ireland in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2022 and 2025 all claiming the Triple Crown without finishing as champions.

France were crowned winners in most of those seasons, except in 2014 when Ireland won the Six Nations despite losing to Triple Crown winners England. The 2025 Championship also produced a unique scenario, with Ireland winning the Triple Crown but finishing outside the top two, behind France and England.

There have also been occasions where Triple Crown winners shared the Championship title. England managed this in 1954, when they lost to France but finished level with both France and Wales, and again in 1960 after drawing with France.

Wales repeated the feat in 1988, sharing the title with France despite losing to them during the tournament. However, with the modern scoring system now including match points, bonus points and points difference, the days of sharing the Championship are effectively a thing of the past.