The 2009 Six Nations Championship, known as the RBS 6 Nations for sponsorship reasons, was the 10th Six Nations Championship, and the 115th international championship, an annual rugby union competition contested by the six major European national teams: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. The tournament was held between 7 February and 21 March 2009.

Ireland won the Grand Slam and Triple Crown, only their second Grand Slam, their first since 1948, and first Triple Crown since 2007.

England finished as runners-up, and also won the Calcutta Cup. The tournament featured the first Friday night game in its history, played between France and Wales at the Stade de France.

Summary The tournament began on 7 February 2009, when England hosted Italy in the earlier of the day's two matches. Ireland played France later that evening, with Scotland versus Wales the following day.

The reigning champions on entering the 2009 tournament were Wales, who won the Grand Slam and Triple Crown in 2008. The winners of both accolades in 2009 were Ireland, with Ronan O'Gara's dropped goal leaving the score in the final match against Wales in Cardiff on 21 March at 17–15. Wales's Stephen Jones then missed a late penalty from just inside the Ireland half to leave Wales in fourth position. Ireland's two tries in that match came when captain Brian O'Driscoll and Tommy Bowe scored in quick succession in the 44th and 46th minutes respectively. Paul O'Connell received the Triple Crown and Ireland's captain Brian O'Driscoll lifted the trophy. It was Ireland's first Grand Slam since 1948, 61 years earlier. This was achieved in the first Six Nations Championship since Declan Kidney was appointed as manager of the Ireland team, succeeding Eddie O'Sullivan who resigned after the previous tournament.

Twelve tries were scored by Ireland throughout the tournament, and five wins left the team on top of the table at the end of the Championship with ten points. They opened with a 30–21 win over France at home stadium Croke Park on 7 February.. Six Nations. Accessed 21 March 2009. On 15 February, Ireland's second match was a 38–9 victory over Italy at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome.. Six Nations. Accessed 21 March 2009. On 28 February, Ireland beat England 14–13 at Croke Park and on 14 March, Ireland beat Scotland 22–15 at Murrayfield Stadium.. Six Nations. Accessed 21 March 2009.. Six Nations. Accessed 21 March 2009. 14 August 2009. Then followed the Grand Slam against Wales on 21 March 2009. That game was attended by the President of Ireland Mary McAleese, who presented the trophy, and Taoiseach Brian Cowen. Following the game there were tributes from politicians. A civic reception for the team took place outside Dublin's Mansion House on 22 March at 16:30, with 18,000 fans attending alongside Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Dublin's Deputy Lord Mayor Emer Costelloe. 2,000 fans had earlier greeted the team upon their arrival at Dublin Airport. Brian O'Driscoll described 21 March as a "sweet, sweet day". The game was watched by 945,000 people in Ireland, the highest rating television programme in the country by that stage of 2009. Former coach Eddie O'Sullivan was said to be "delighted" for the team. Brian O'Driscoll was named player of the tournament, beating Italy's Sergio Parisse and Ireland teammate Paul O'Connell. O'Connell was later named captain of the British and Irish Lions team to tour South Africa and containing fourteen members of the Grand Slam winning Irish team on 21 April 2009, describing it as "a great honour".

Italy were the only side to not win a match in the tournament, suffering defeats by twenty points or more against, in addition to Ireland, France (50–8), England (36–11) and Scotland (26–6), while losing 20–15 to Wales. Scotland managed a solitary victory against Italy to finish on 2 points. England, France and Wales all managed to win three of their matches to finish level on six points but England's points difference of +54 granted them second place in the table. Their points tally was boosted by a 36–10 defeat of France and a 26–12 win against Scotland which sealed the Calcutta Cup. Wales' early loss to France and narrow loss to Ireland in the last game of the tournament denied them a second consecutive championship. Although Wales needed to beat Ireland by more than 13 points to win the championship, they could have won the game and the Triple Crown in the last minute of the tournament (as well as denying Ireland the Grand Slam) if Stephen Jones' 50-yard penalty kick had not fallen short.

Participants NationHome stadiumCityHead coachCaptainTwickenhamLondon Martin JohnsonUnlike the other head coaches in the 2009 Six Nations, Martin Johnson holds the position of team managerSteve BorthwickStade de FranceSaint-Denis Marc LièvremontLionel NalletCroke ParkDublin Declan KidneyBrian O'DriscollStadio FlaminioRome Nick MallettSergio ParisseMurrayfieldEdinburgh Frank HaddenMike BlairMillennium StadiumCardiff Warren GatlandRyan JonesMartyn Williams captained Wales in their opening match against Scotland after Jones failed a fitness test hours before kickoff.Alun Wyn Jones captained Wales in their Round 4 match against Italy, as coach Warren Gatland chose to move Ryan Jones to the bench for that match only.

Squads

Table

Fixtures The fixtures for the 2009 Six Nations were released on 17 April 2008. The France v Wales game on 27 February was the first Friday night game in the history of the championship, both under the Five and Six Nations format.

Round 1

FB 15Delon ArmitageRW 14Paul SackeyOC 13Jamie Noon IC 12Riki Flutey LW 11Mark CuetoFH 10Andy GoodeSH 9 Harry Ellis N8 8 Nick EasterOF 7 Steffon Armitage BF 6 James Haskell RL 5 Nick Kennedy LL 4 Steve Borthwick (c)TP 3 Phil VickeryHK 2 Lee Mears LP 1 Andrew Sheridan Replacements:HK 16Dylan Hartley PR 17Julian White LK 18Tom Croft FL 19Joe Worsley SH 20Ben Foden CE 21Shane Geraghty CE 22Mathew Tait Coach:Martin Johnson FB 15Andrea MasiRW 14Kaine RobertsonOC 13Gonzalo CanaleIC 12Gonzalo García LW 11Mirco BergamascoFH 10Andrea Marcato SH 9 Mauro Bergamasco N8 8 Sergio Parisse (c)OF 7 Alessandro ZanniBF 6 Josh SoleRL 5 Marco Bortolami LL 4 Santiago Dellapè TP 3 Martin CastrogiovanniHK 2 Fabio Ongaro LP 1 Salvatore Perugini Replacements:HK 16Carlo Festuccia PR 17Carlos Nieto LK 18Tommaso Reato FL 19Jean-François Montauriol SH 20Giulio Toniolatti FH 21Luke McLean CE 22Matteo Pratichetti Coach:Nick Mallett

FB 15Rob Kearney RW 14Tommy BoweOC 13Brian O'Driscoll (c)IC 12Paddy Wallace LW 11Luke FitzgeraldFH 10Ronan O'GaraSH 9 Tomás O'LearyN8 8 Jamie HeaslipOF 7 David WallaceBF 6 Stephen Ferris RL 5 Paul O'ConnellLL 4 Donncha O'CallaghanTP 3 John HayesHK 2 Jerry Flannery LP 1 Marcus HoranReplacements:HK 16Rory Best PR 17Tom CourtLK 18Malcolm O'KellyFL 19Denis Leamy SH 20Peter StringerCE 21Gordon D'Arcy FB 22Geordan Murphy Coach:Declan Kidney FB 15Clément Poitrenaud RW 14Julien MalzieuOC 13Florian Fritz IC 12Yannick JauzionLW 11Maxime MédardFH 10Lionel BeauxisSH 9 Sébastien Tillous-Borde N8 8 Imanol Harinordoquy OF 7 Fulgence OuedraogoBF 6 Thierry DusautoirRL 5 Sébastien Chabal LL 4 Lionel Nallet (c)TP 3 Benoît Lecouls HK 2 Dimitri Szarzewski LP 1 Lionel FaureReplacements:HK 16Benjamin Kayser PR 17Nicolas Mas LK 18Romain Millo-Chluski N8 19Louis Picamoles SH 20Morgan Parra CE 21Benoît Baby WG 22Cédric Heymans Coach:Marc Lièvremont

FB 15Hugo SouthwellRW 14Simon Webster OC 13Ben Cairns IC 12Graeme MorrisonLW 11Sean LamontFH 10Phil GodmanSH 9 Mike Blair (c) N8 8 Simon TaylorOF 7 John Barclay BF 6 Ally Hogg RL 5 Jim HamiltonLL 4 Jason WhiteTP 3 Geoff Cross HK 2 Ross Ford LP 1 Allan JacobsenReplacements:HK 16Dougie Hall PR 17Alasdair Dickinson LK 18Kelly Brown FL 19Scott Gray SH 20Chris Cusiter WG 21Chris Paterson CE 22Max Evans Coach:Frank Hadden FB 15Lee ByrneRW 14Leigh HalfpennyOC 13Tom ShanklinIC 12Jamie Roberts LW 11Shane Williams FH 10Stephen Jones SH 9 Mike Phillips N8 8 Andy PowellOF 7 Martyn Williams (c) BF 6 Dafydd JonesRL 5 Alun Wyn JonesLL 4 Ian Gough TP 3 Adam JonesHK 2 Matthew Rees LP 1 Gethin Jenkins Replacements:HK 16Huw Bennett PR 17John Yapp LK 18Luke Charteris FL 19Bradley Davies SH 20Dwayne Peel FH 21James Hook CE 22Andrew Bishop Coach:Warren Gatland

Round 2

FB 15Clément PoitrenaudRW 14Maxime MédardOC 13Benoît Baby IC 12Yannick JauzionLW 11Cédric HeymansFH 10Lionel BeauxisSH 9 Sébastien Tillous-Borde N8 8 Imanol Harinordoquy OF 7 Fulgence OuedraogoBF 6 Thierry DusautoirRL 5 Lionel Nallet (c)LL 4 Romain Millo-Chluski TP 3 Nicolas Mas HK 2 Dimitri Szarzewski LP 1 Fabien BarcellaReplacements:HK 16Benjamin Kayser PR 17Renaud Boyoud LK 18Sébastien Chabal N8 19Louis Picamoles SH 20Morgan Parra CE 21Maxime Mermoz WG 22Julien MalzieuCoach:Marc Lièvremont FB 15Hugo SouthwellRW 14Simon Danielli OC 13Max EvansIC 12Graeme Morrison LW 11Thom EvansFH 10Phil GodmanSH 9 Mike Blair (c) N8 8 Simon TaylorOF 7 John BarclayBF 6 Alasdair StrokoschRL 5 Jim Hamilton LL 4 Jason WhiteTP 3 Alasdair Dickinson HK 2 Ross Ford LP 1 Allan JacobsenReplacements:HK 16Dougie Hall PR 17Moray Low LK 18Kelly Brown FL 19Scott GraySH 20Chris Cusiter WG 21Chris Paterson CE 22Nick De Luca Coach:Frank Hadden

FB 15Lee ByrneRW 14Leigh HalfpennyOC 13Tom ShanklinIC 12Jamie RobertsLW 11Mark JonesFH 10Stephen JonesSH 9 Mike Phillips N8 8 Andy Powell OF 7 Martyn WilliamsBF 6 Ryan Jones (c)RL 5 Alun Wyn JonesLL 4 Ian GoughTP 3 Adam JonesHK 2 Matthew Rees LP 1 Gethin JenkinsReplacements:HK 16Huw Bennett PR 17John YappLK 18Luke CharterisFL 19Dafydd Jones SH 20Dwayne Peel FH 21James HookCE 22Andrew BishopCoach:Warren Gatland FB 15Delon ArmitageRW 14Paul Sackey OC 13Mike Tindall IC 12Riki FluteyLW 11Mark CuetoFH 10Andy Goode SH 9 Harry EllisN8 8 Nick EasterOF 7 Joe WorsleyBF 6 James Haskell RL 5 Nick Kennedy LL 4 Steve Borthwick (c)TP 3 Phil Vickery HK 2 Lee Mears LP 1 Andrew SheridanReplacements:HK 16Dylan Hartley PR 17Julian White LK 18Tom Croft FL 19Luke Narraway SH 20Paul HodgsonFH 21Toby Flood CE 22Mathew Tait Coach:Martin Johnson

FB 15Andrea Masi RW 14Kaine Robertson OC 13Gonzalo Canale IC 12Mirco BergamascoLW 11Matteo PratichettiFH 10Luke McLean SH 9 Paul GriffenN8 8 Sergio Parisse (c)OF 7 Mauro BergamascoBF 6 Alessandro ZanniRL 5 Tommaso Reato LL 4 Santiago Dellapè TP 3 Martin Castrogiovanni HK 2 Fabio Ongaro LP 1 Salvatore Perugini Replacements:HK 16Carlo Festuccia PR 17Carlos Nieto LK 18Carlo Del Fava FL 19Josh Sole SH 20Giulio Toniolatti FH 21Gonzalo García CE 22Andrea Bacchetti Coach:Nick Mallett FB 15Rob KearneyRW 14Tommy BoweOC 13Brian O'Driscoll (c)IC 12Paddy Wallace LW 11Luke FitzgeraldFH 10Ronan O'Gara SH 9 Tomás O'Leary N8 8 Jamie HeaslipOF 7 David WallaceBF 6 Stephen Ferris RL 5 Paul O'Connell LL 4 Donncha O'CallaghanTP 3 John HayesHK 2 Jerry Flannery LP 1 Marcus Horan Replacements:HK 16Rory Best PR 17Tom Court LK 18Malcolm O'Kelly FL 19Denis Leamy SH 20Peter Stringer CE 21Gordon D'Arcy FB 22Geordan MurphyCoach:Declan Kidney

Round 3

FB 15Maxime MédardRW 14Julien MalzieuOC 13Mathieu BastareaudIC 12Yannick JauzionLW 11Cédric HeymansFH 10Benoît Baby SH 9 Morgan Parra N8 8 Imanol HarinordoquyOF 7 Fulgence OuedraogoBF 6 Thierry DusautoirRL 5 Sébastien Chabal LL 4 Lionel Nallet (c)TP 3 Sylvain Marconnet HK 2 Dimitri Szarzewski LP 1 Fabien BarcellaReplacements:HK 16Benjamin Kayser PR 17Thomas Domingo LK 18Romain Millo-Chluski N8 19Louis PicamolesSH 20Sébastien Tillous-Borde FH 21François Trinh-Duc FB 22Clément PoitrenaudCoach:Marc Lièvremont FB 15Lee ByrneRW 14Leigh HalfpennyOC 13Tom ShanklinIC 12Jamie Roberts LW 11Shane WilliamsFH 10Stephen Jones SH 9 Mike Phillips N8 8 Andy Powell OF 7 Martyn WilliamsBF 6 Ryan Jones (c)RL 5 Alun Wyn JonesLL 4 Ian Gough TP 3 Adam JonesHK 2 Matthew Rees LP 1 Gethin JenkinsReplacements:HK 16Huw Bennett PR 17John YappLK 18Luke Charteris FL 19Dafydd Jones SH 20Dwayne Peel FH 21James Hook CE 22Gavin Henson Coach:Warren Gatland