2011 Six Nations Championship

2011 Six Nations Championship

Italy and France during the 2011 Six Nations at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome
Date 4 February 2011 - 19 March 2011
Countries  England
 France
 Ireland
 Italy
 Scotland
 Wales
Tournament statistics
Champions  England (26th title)
Matches played 15
Attendance 920,618 (61,375 per match)
Top point scorer(s) Toby Flood (50 points)
Top try scorer(s) Chris Ashton (6 tries)
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The 2011 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2011 RBS 6 Nations due to the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 12th series of the Six Nations Championship. The annual northern hemisphere rugby union championship was contested by England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. The tournament was won by England.

Including the competition's previous incarnations as the Home Nations Championship and Five Nations Championship, it was the 117th edition of the annual Northern Hemisphere championship.

The biggest development for this season was Ireland's opening of their new Aviva Stadium on the former site of Lansdowne Road. The completion of the Aviva ended the IRFU's arrangement with the Gaelic Athletic Association that allowed the rugby team to use the GAA's flagship venue of Croke Park for rugby internationals. Ireland played their first Tests at the Aviva in November 2010.

For the first time in its history, the tournament opened with a Friday night fixture.[1] For the first time in a decade, all of the teams had the same head coach as in the previous year's tournament.[2]

The tournament was also notable for a major upset, with Italy coming up from the bottom of the table, to beat then holders France. The champions were England who won their first four matches, but were denied the Grand Slam by a defeat to Ireland.

Italy's Andrea Masi was named as the Six Nations Player of the Championship, becoming the first Italian player to win the award with 30% of the voting. The runners up were Fabio Semenzato in second, Sean O'Brien in third and Toby Flood in fourth. [3]

Contents

Final results

England won the championship after winning four out of their five matches, losing only one against Ireland. While England lost the Grand Slam, due to France defeating Wales in the final match of the tournament England retained their position at the top of the table.[4] Had England beaten Ireland it would have led to their first Grand Slam since 2003.[4] Italy lost their final match against Scotland to claim the wooden spoon for the ninth time since entering the competition in 2000.[5]

Participants

The teams involved are:

Nation Home stadium City Head coach Captain
 England Twickenham Stadium London Martin Johnson Mike Tindall (for Lewis Moody)[N 1]
 France Stade de France Saint-Denis Marc Lièvremont Thierry Dusautoir
 Ireland Aviva Stadium Dublin Declan Kidney Brian O'Driscoll
 Italy Stadio Flaminio Rome Nick Mallett Sergio Parisse
 Scotland Murrayfield Stadium Edinburgh Andy Robinson Alastair Kellock
 Wales Millennium Stadium Cardiff Warren Gatland Matthew Rees
  1. ^ Moody, England's regular captain, was initially ruled out of at least the first two rounds of the competition with a knee injury.[6] He returned to play for his club team, Bath, on 20 February, but his injury reportedly returned during a training session for England's third match against France, ultimately ruling him out of the rest of the Championship. Tindall suffered an ankle injury during England's fourth match against Scotland that ruled him out of their final match against Ireland; Nick Easter was named captain for that match in TIndall's absence.[7][8][9]

Squads

See 2011 Six Nations Championship squads.

Table

Position Nation Games Points Table
points
Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Difference Tries
1  England 5 4 0 1 132 81 +51 13 8
2  France 5 3 0 2 117 91 +26 10 6
3  Ireland 5 3 0 2 93 81 +12 10 6
4  Wales 5 3 0 2 95 89 +6 6 6
5  Scotland 5 1 0 4 82 109 -27 6 2
6  Italy 5 1 0 4 70 138 -68 6 2

Results

For more details on this topic, see 2011 Six Nations Championship fixtures.

Week 1

4 February 2011
19:45		 Wales  19 – 26  England Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 74,276
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Try: Stoddart 60' c
Con: S. Jones (1/1)
Pen: S. Jones (3/4) 23', 29', 43'
Hook (1/2) 70'
 Report Try: Ashton (2) 14' c, 56' c
Con: Flood (2/2)
Pen: Flood (3/3) 19', 32', 47'
Wilkinson (1/1) 75'
5 February 2011
14:30		 Italy  11 – 13  Ireland Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Attendance: 32,000[10]
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Try: McLean 75' m
Pen: Mi. Bergamasco (2/3) 6', 40'
 Report Try: O'Driscoll 44' c
Con: Sexton (1/1)
Pen: Sexton (1/1) 28'
Drop: O'Gara (1/1) 78'
5 February 2011
17:00		 France  34 – 21  Scotland Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Attendance: 78,595
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Try: Médard 2' c
Penalty try 29' c
Harinordoquy 54' c
Traille 68' c
Con: Parra (2/2)
Yachvili (2/2)
Pen: Yachvili (1/2) 79'
Drop: Trinh-Duc (1/1) 9'
 Report Try: Kellock 18' c
Brown 60' c
Lamont 75' c
Con: Parks (2/2)
Jackson (1/1)

Week 2

12 February 2011
14:30		 England  59 – 13  Italy Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 80,810
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Try: Ashton (4) 3' c, 25' c, 54' c, 76' c
Cueto 30' c
Tindall 35' c
Care 58' c
Haskell 72' c
Con: Flood (5/5)
Wilkinson (3/3)
Pen: Flood (1/1) 10'
 Report Try: Ongaro 70' c
Con: Bergamasco (1/1)
Pen: Bergamasco (2/3) 4', 12'
12 February 2011
17:00		 Scotland  6 – 24  Wales Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 60,259
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Pen: Parks (2/3) 31', 58'
 Report Try: Williams (2) 8' c, 70' m
Con: Hook (1/1)
Pen: Hook (4/5) 13', 18', 21', 65'
13 February 2011
15:00		 Ireland  22 – 25  France Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 51,000
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Try: McFadden 4' c
O'Leary 37' m
Heaslip 67' c
Con: Sexton (1/2)
O'Gara (1/1)
Pen: Sexton (1/1) 15'
 Report Try: Médard 54' c
Con: Yachvili (1/1)
Pen: Parra (5/5) 10', 18', 20', 27', 48'
Yachvili (1/2) 62'

Week 3

26 February 2011
14:30		 Italy  16 – 24  Wales Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Attendance: 32,000
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Try: Canale 5' m
Parisse 52' m
Pen: Bergamasco (2/2) 12', 26'
 Report Try: Stoddart 9' m
Warburton 13' c
Con: S. Jones (1/2)
Pen: S. Jones (3/3) 3', 38', 40+2'
Drop: Hook 73'
26 February 2011
17:00		 England  17 – 9  France Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 82,107
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Try: Foden 42' m
Pen: Flood (3/3) 5', 13', 17'
Wilkinson (1/1) 52'
 Report Pen: Yachvili (3/5) 7', 19', 22'

In this match Jonny Wilkinson kicked a penalty which made him the leading pointscorer in international rugby, overtaking Dan Carter.

27 February 2011
15:00		 Scotland  18 – 21  Ireland Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 63,082
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Pen: Paterson 16', 17', 32', 58'
Parks 66'
Drop: Parks 70'
 Report Try: Heaslip 6' c
Reddan 29' c
O'Gara 53' c
Con: O'Gara (3/3)

Week 4

12 March 2011
14:30		 Italy  22 – 21  France Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Attendance: 34,000
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Try: Masi 59' c
Con: Bergamasco (1/1)
Pen: Bergamasco (5/7) 1', 23', 63', 70', 75'
 Try: Clerc 14' m
Parra 50' c
Con: Parra (1/2)
Pen: Parra (3/4) 19', 44', 66'

This was the first time Italy had ever beaten France at home, and the first time they had won the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy.

12 March 2011
17:00		 Wales  19 – 13  Ireland Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 74,233
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Try: Phillips 50' c
Con: Hook (1/1)
Pen: Hook (3/4) 19', 27', 68'
Halfpenny (1/1) 38'
 Report Try: O'Driscoll 2' c
Con: O'Gara (1/1)
Pen: O'Gara (2/2) 32', 40'
13 March 2011
15:00		 England  22 – 16  Scotland Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 82,120
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Try: Croft 67' c
Con: Wilkinson (1/1)
Pen: Flood (4/5) 15', 23', 29', 57'
Wilkinson (1/1) 79'
 Report Try: Evans 74 'c
Con: Paterson (1/1)
Pen: Paterson (2/2) 3', 20'
Drop: Jackson (1/1) 40'

In the 58th minute, referee Poite was replaced by Jérôme Garcès due to injury. Andrew Small (England) replaced Garcès as touch judge.

Week 5

19 March 2011
14:30		 Scotland  21 – 8  Italy Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 42,464
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Try: De Luca 46' m
Walker 54' c
Con: Paterson (1/2)
Pen: Paterson (3/4) 3' 18' 67'
 Report Try: Masi 10' m
Pen: Bergamasco 30'
19 March 2011
17:00		 Ireland  24 – 8  England Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 51,000
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Try: Bowe 27' m
O’Driscoll 46' c
Con: Sexton (1/2)
Pen: Sexton (4/4) 6' 14' 22' 37'
 Report Try: Thompson 52' m
Pen: Flood (1/2) 32'
19 March 2011
19:45		 France  28 – 9  Wales Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Attendance: 79,798
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Try: Nallet (2) 37' m, 43' c
Clerc 58' c
Con: Parra (2/3)
Pen: Parra (3/4) 7' 25' 52'
 Report Pen: Hook (3/4) 2' 42' 48'

Top scorers

Try scorers

Tries Name Pld Team
6 Chris Ashton 5  England
3 Brian O'Driscoll 5  Ireland
2 Vincent Clerc 5  France
Maxime Médard 4  France
Lionel Nallet 5  France
Jamie Heaslip 4  Ireland
Andrea Masi 5  Italy
Morgan Stoddart 3  Wales
Shane Williams 4  Wales
1 Danny Care 5  England
Tom Croft 2  England
Mark Cueto 5  England
Ben Foden 5  England
James Haskell 5  England
Steve Thompson 5  England
Mike Tindall 4  England
Imanol Harinordoquy 5  France
Morgan Parra 5  France
Damien Traille 5  France
Tommy Bowe 3  Ireland
Fergus McFadden 2  Ireland
Ronan O'Gara 5  Ireland
Tomás O'Leary 2  Ireland
Eoin Reddan 5  Ireland
Gonzalo Canale 5  Italy
Luke McLean 4  Italy
Fabio Ongaro 2  Italy
Sergio Parisse 5  Italy
Kelly Brown 5  Scotland
Nick De Luca 5  Scotland
Max Evans 4  Scotland
Alastair Kellock 5  Scotland
Sean Lamont 5  Scotland
Nikki Walker 3  Scotland
Mike Phillips 5  Wales
Sam Warburton 5  Wales

Points scorers

Points Name Pld Team
50 Toby Flood 5  England
47 Morgan Parra 5  France
40 Mirco Bergamasco 5  Italy
James Hook 5  Wales
34 Chris Paterson 3  Scotland
30 Chris Ashton 5  England
24 Ronan O'Gara 5  Ireland
Jonathan Sexton 5  Ireland
22 Stephen Jones 5  Wales
21 Dimitri Yachvili 5  France
20 Jonny Wilkinson 5  England
16 Dan Parks 5  Scotland
15 Brian O'Driscoll 5  Ireland
10 Maxime Médard 4  France
Lionel Nallet 5  France
Vincent Clerc 5  France
Jamie Heaslip 4  Ireland
Andrea Masi 5  Italy
Morgan Stoddart 3  Wales
Shane Williams 4  Wales
5 Danny Care 5  England
Tom Croft 2  England
Mark Cueto 5  England
Ben Foden 5  England
James Haskell 5  England
Steve Thompson 5  England
Mike Tindall 4  England
Imanol Harinordoquy 5  France
Damien Traille 5  France
Tommy Bowe 3  Ireland
Fergus McFadden 2  Ireland
Tomás O'Leary 2  Ireland
Eoin Reddan 5  Ireland
Gonzalo Canale 5  Italy
Luke McLean 4  Italy
Fabio Ongaro 2  Italy
Sergio Parisse 5  Italy
Kelly Brown 5  Scotland
Nick De Luca 5  Scotland
Max Evans 4  Scotland
Ruaridh Jackson 4  Scotland
Alastair Kellock 5  Scotland
Sean Lamont 5  Scotland
Nikki Walker 3  Scotland
Mike Phillips 5  Wales
Sam Warburton 5  Wales
3 François Trinh-Duc 5  France
Leigh Halfpenny 3  Wales

Media coverage

The tournament is broadcast live in many different countries, some of which are listed below:

Nation(s) Broadcaster
Australia/New Zealand ESPN[13]
France France 2
Italy Sky Sport
Republic of Ireland RTÉ Two [14]
UK BBC[15]
S4C (Wales matches only)[16]
United States/Caribbean BBC America (United States) (selected matches only)[17]
Premium Sports[18]

References

  1. ^ "Six Nations to end experiment of Friday night matches". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 26 January 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/9377353.stm. Retrieved 27 January 2011. 
  2. ^ Palmer, Bryn (26 January 2011). "Six Nations set for launch with a bang". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/brynpalmer/2011/01/six_nations_set_for_launch_wit.html. Retrieved 27 January 2011. 
  3. ^ "Masi scoops Six Nations award". ESPN Scrum. 23 March 2011. http://www.espnscrum.com/sixnations2011/rugby/story/136939.html. Retrieved 23 March 2011. 
  4. ^ a b Standley, James (19 March 2011). "2011 Six Nations: Ireland 24-8 England". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/9426975.stm. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  5. ^ Malin, Ian (19 March 2011). "Scotland avoid Six Nations wooden spoon after rallying against Italy". London: Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/mar/19/scotland-italy-six-nations-2011?intcmp=239. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  6. ^ "Lewis Moody upbeat on injury progress". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 21 January 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/9369061.stm. Retrieved 24 January 2011. 
  7. ^ "Six Nations: Sheridan back for England but Moody absent". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 24 February 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/english/9403504.stm. Retrieved 24 February 2011. 
  8. ^ "Six Nations: Croft back on bench as Corbisiero starts". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 11 March 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/english/9416616.stm. Retrieved 12 March 2011. 
  9. ^ "Six Nations: England pick Banahan for Grand Slam match". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 17 March 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/english/9425530.stm. Retrieved 17 March 2011. 
  10. ^ "O'Gara rescues shaky Ireland". ESPN Scrum (ESPN EMEA). 5 February 2011. http://www.espnscrum.com/sixnations2011/rugby/story/133831.html. Retrieved 6 February 2011. 
  11. ^ a b Pope, Bruce (12 March 2011). "Wales 19–13 Ireland". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/9420401.stm. Retrieved 13 March 2011. 
  12. ^ http://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2011/03/brian-odriscolls-record-breaking-25.html
  13. ^ "ESPN: RUGBY - RBS SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP". espn.com.au. http://www.espn.com.au/index.php?action=view&id=180&module=newsmodule&src=%40random4802ef4a58a47. Retrieved 27 February 2011. 
  14. ^ "Six Nations Coverage on RTÉ". RTE Sport. 31 January 2011. http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/sixnations/rtecoverage.html. Retrieved 22 February 2011. 
  15. ^ "Six Nations on the BBC". BBC Sport. 5 February 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/4797831.stm. Retrieved 22 February 2011. 
  16. ^ "Match Schedule". S4C.co.uk. http://www.s4c.co.uk/rygbi/e_international.shtml. Retrieved 22 February 2011. 
  17. ^ "2011 Match Schedule". BBC America. http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/394/2011-match-schedule.jsp. Retrieved 22 February 2011. 
  18. ^ "Schedule". premiumsportsinc.com. http://premiumsportsinc.com/schedule.html. Retrieved 27 February 2011. 

External links

Teams
Stadiums
Home Nations Championship
Five Nations Championship
Home Nations Championship
Five Nations Championship
Six Nations Championship