Six nations, six sides, and six weeks. The Six Nations promises every year to be the preeminent rugby tournament of the northern hemisphere. Whether you’re a fan of the Irish looking to hold onto the crown or a fan of one of the five other nations looking to knock them off their perch, the 2016 tournament is going to be no let down. You won’t want to miss out.
History
The tournament started in 1883 as the Home Nations Championship, a reference to the widespread British influence around the world. In 1909, the tournament was replaced by the Five Nations Championship. The Home Nations Championship was suspended for a while during the 1930s due to growing international conflict. After the resolution of World War Two, the Five Nations Championship returned, until 1999 when it was replaced by the Six Nations Championship.
The Six Nations is played every year between England, Ireland, France, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. The Royal Bank of Scotland sponsors the tournament every year. England and Wales are tied for the highest number of wins in the Home Nations, Five Nations, and Six Nations championships, though that is mostly by virtue of having been in all of those tournaments. Both Wales and England hold 26 tournament titles.
2016
Since the founding of the Six Nations tournament in 2000, Italy and Scotland have both failed to secure a title. However, Scotland has a very strong side this year; so, if you’re a fan of the Scottish team, this might be the year for you to attend. With on and off-site Six Nations hospitality services, you can entertain a bunch of guests in an exciting manner.
For corporate events and meetings, it is incredibly popular to have hospitality services at large events such as the Six Nations. Everyone enjoys an exciting rugby match, even if you aren’t a rugby fan normally. Watching a game on television requires you to be a fan of the game, but attending a game in person, especially as part of a tournament as big as this one, requires only that you enjoy good food, great crowds, and great music.
With the luxury accommodation being offered, you can create an entire experience. Many business folks find that their clients who might have otherwise been turned off by a given proposal are a little more amenable once they’re relaxing in a Six Nations hospitality suite with a cocktail and some good food.
Scotland
England retains the Calcutta Cup and has done since 2012, which means the Scottish side is itching to take it back. Their side looks incredibly competitive this year, featuring the very talented scrum-half Greig Laidlaw as captain. This could be the year Scotland regains the Calcutta Cup or even takes their first Six Nations victory.
If you or your clients are fans of the English side, you’ll want to know if they can retain the Calcutta Cup for a fifth straight year. If you are fans of the Scottish side, you’ll want to know if they can slow down this bad slide over the last few years. Scotland won the last Five Nations Championship but has not been able to turn that into a Six Nations title.