A Grand Slam is when one team wins every match in a single Six Nations Championship – or Five Nations as it used to be known.

It is an incredible achievement to defeat all of your rivals in the one calendar year. And it is not easy to do. Since 2000, when Italy were invited in to expand the Five Nations and make it the Six Nations, Wales have done it an incredible four times. They achieved this in 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2019 with three of those taking place under the stewardship of Warren Gatland.

France have also won four Grand Slams in the Six Nations – they achieved this in 2002, 2004, 2010 and 2022.

Although they have won the most Grand Slams across any era, with 13, England only have two Six Nations Grand Slams to their name, with a clean sweep in 2003 and then in 2016.

Ireland also have two Six Nations Grand Slams to their credit, which was achieved in 2009 and in 2018. However, Scotland have not won a Grand Slam since the tournament expanded to welcome in the Italians – who have also never won a Grand Slam.

Of the current head coaches who have Slam experience, Warren Gatland has led Wales to three Grand Slams while Fabien Galthie led France to a Grand Slam in 2022. Current England head coach Steve Borthwick is yet to win one as the big boss, but he was assistant to Eddie Jones in 2016. And France assistant Shaun Edwards is no stranger to a Slam…

As things stand in the 2023 championship, Ireland can still complete a Grand Slam having won three from three so far, while Scotland have two wins from two heading into a showdown with France, in Paris.

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