The 2020 Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) was the 21st Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales, and the 126th edition of the competition (including all the tournament's previous versions as the Home Nations Championship and Five Nations Championship). The tournament began on 1 February 2020, and was scheduled to conclude on 14 March; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Italy's penultimate match against Ireland and all three of the final weekend's matches were postponed with the intention of being rescheduled. It was the first time any match had been postponed since 2012, and the first time more than one match had been delayed since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001. In July 2020, a revised fixture schedule was announced, with the last four games being played in October.
England became the first team to win the title despite losing their first game since Wales did so in 2013. It was England's 39th title overall (including shared titles), drawing them level with the record Wales set the previous year, and extended their record of 29 outright titles.
Participants NationStadiumHead coachCaptainHome stadiumCapacityLocationTwickenham Stadium82,000London Eddie JonesOwen FarrellStade de France81,338Saint-Denis Fabien GalthiéCharles OllivonAviva Stadium51,700Dublin Andy FarrellJohnny SextonStadio Olimpico73,261Rome Franco Smith Luca BigiMurrayfield Stadium67,144Edinburgh Gregor TownsendStuart HoggMillennium Stadium73,931Cardiff Wayne PivacAlun Wyn JonesParc y Scarlets14,870Llanelli
Squads
Table
Table ranking rules
Four points are awarded for a win. Two points are awarded for a draw. A bonus point is awarded to a team that scores four or more tries in a match or loses a match by seven points or fewer. If a team scores four tries in a match and loses by seven points or fewer, they are awarded both bonus points. Three bonus points are awarded to a team that wins all five of their matches (a Grand Slam). This ensures that a Grand Slam winning team will always top the table with a minimum of 23 points. A team that loses a single match could only achieve a maximum of 22 points – they could win four matches with four try bonus points and lose the remaining match but still win two bonus points while losing that game. Tiebreakers: If two or more teams are tied on table points, the team with the better match points difference (points scored less points conceded) is ranked higher. If the above tiebreaker fails to separate tied teams, the team that scores the higher number of total tries in its matches is ranked higher. If two or more teams remain tied for first place at the end of the championship after applying the above tiebreakers, the title will be shared between them.
Fixtures The fixtures were announced on 20 March 2019. For the first time since 2013, no matches were scheduled on a Friday night. The final match of the tournament also returned to peak time for the first time since 2016.
Round 1
FB 15Leigh HalfpennyRW 14Johnny McNicholl OC 13George NorthIC 12Hadleigh Parkes LW 11Josh AdamsFH 10Dan Biggar SH 9 Tomos Williams N8 8 Taulupe Faletau OF 7 Justin TipuricBF 6 Aaron WainwrightRL 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c)LL 4 Jake Ball TP 3 Dillon Lewis HK 2 Ken Owens LP 1 Wyn Jones Replacements:HK 16Ryan Elias PR 17Rob Evans PR 18Leon Brown LK 19Cory Hill N8 20Ross Moriarty SH 21Rhys Webb FH 22Jarrod Evans CE 23Nick Tompkins Coach:Wayne Pivac FB 15Matteo MinozziRW 14Leonardo Sarto OC 13Luca MorisiIC 12Carlo CannaLW 11Mattia BelliniFH 10Tommaso AllanSH 9 Callum Braley N8 8 Braam SteynOF 7 Sebastian Negri BF 6 Jake PolledriRL 5 Niccolò Cannone LL 4 Alessandro Zanni TP 3 Giosuè Zilocchi HK 2 Luca Bigi (c) LP 1 Andrea Lovotti Replacements:HK 16Federico Zani PR 17Danilo Fischetti PR 18Marco Riccioni LK 19Marco Lazzaroni LK 20Dean Budd FL 21Giovanni Licata SH 22Guglielmo Palazzani FB 23Jayden Hayward Coach:Franco Smith Player of the Match: Justin Tipuric (Wales)
Touch judges: Matthew Carley (England) Mike Fraser (New Zealand) Television match official: James Leckie (Australia) Notes: Johnny McNicholl and Nick Tompkins (both Wales) and Niccolò Cannone and Danilo Fischetti (both Italy) made their international debuts. Josh Adams became the second Welsh player to score a hat-trick in the Six Nations after George North scored three times against Italy in 2015. Italy were held to zero points for the first time since losing 29–0 to Scotland in 2017.
FB 15Jordan LarmourRW 14Andrew ConwayOC 13Garry Ringrose IC 12Bundee AkiLW 11Jacob StockdaleFH 10Johnny Sexton (c) SH 9 Conor Murray N8 8 Caelan Doris OF 7 Josh van der FlierBF 6 CJ StanderRL 5 James RyanLL 4 Iain Henderson TP 3 Tadhg Furlong HK 2 Rob Herring LP 1 Cian Healy Replacements:HK 16Rónan Kelleher PR 17Dave Kilcoyne PR 18Andrew Porter LK 19Devin Toner FL 20Peter O'Mahony SH 21John Cooney FH 22Ross Byrne CE 23Robbie Henshaw Coach:Andy Farrell FB 15Stuart Hogg (c)RW 14Sean MaitlandOC 13Huw Jones IC 12Sam Johnson LW 11Blair KinghornFH 10Adam HastingsSH 9 Ali Price N8 8 Nick Haining OF 7 Hamish WatsonBF 6 Jamie RitchieRL 5 Jonny Gray LL 4 Scott CummingsTP 3 Zander Fagerson HK 2 Fraser Brown LP 1 Rory Sutherland Replacements:HK 16Stuart McInally PR 17Allan Dell PR 18W. P. Nel LK 19Ben Toolis N8 20Cornell du Preez SH 21George Horne CE 22Rory Hutchinson CE 23Chris Harris Coach:Gregor Townsend Player of the Match: CJ Stander (Ireland)
Touch judges: Pascal Gaüzère (France) Federico Anselmi (Argentina) Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand) Notes: Caelan Doris and Rónan Kelleher (both Ireland), and Nick Haining (Scotland) made their international debuts. Simon Berghan (Scotland) was originally named as a replacement, but he was replaced on the day of the game by WP Nel. Ireland retained the Centenary Quaich.
FB 15Anthony BouthierRW 14Teddy ThomasOC 13Virimi Vakatawa IC 12Gaël FickouLW 11Vincent RattezFH 10Romain Ntamack SH 9 Antoine DupontN8 8 Grégory AlldrittOF 7 Charles Ollivon (c)BF 6 François Cros RL 5 Paul Willemse LL 4 Bernard Le RouxTP 3 Mohamed Haouas HK 2 Julien Marchand LP 1 Cyril Baille Replacements:HK 16Peato Mauvaka PR 17Jefferson Poirot PR 18Demba Bamba LK 19Boris Palu FL 20Cameron Woki SH 21Baptiste SerinFH 22Matthieu Jalibert CE 23Arthur Vincent Coach:Fabien Galthié FB 15George FurbankRW 14Jonny MayOC 13Manu Tuilagi IC 12Owen Farrell (c)LW 11Elliot DalyFH 10George Ford SH 9 Ben Youngs N8 8 Tom CurryOF 7 Sam UnderhillBF 6 Courtney Lawes RL 5 Charlie Ewels LL 4 Maro ItojeTP 3 Kyle Sinckler HK 2 Jamie George LP 1 Joe Marler Replacements:HK 16Luke Cowan-Dickie PR 17Ellis Genge PR 18Will Stuart LK 19George Kruis FL 20Lewis Ludlam SH 21Willi Heinz CE 22Ollie Devoto CE 23Jonathan Joseph Coach:Eddie Jones Player of the Match: Grégory Alldritt (France)
Touch judges: Andrew Brace (Ireland) Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand) Television match official: Brian MacNeice (Ireland) Notes: Anthony Bouthier, Mohamed Haouas, Boris Palu, Arthur Vincent and Cameron Woki (all France) and George Furbank and Will Stuart (both England) made their international debuts. Damian Penaud (France) was originally named in the starting line-up, but was ruled out with a calf injury. Vincent Rattez replaced him, while Arthur Vincent took Rattez's place on the bench. France won their opening Six Nations match for the first time since beating Italy 23–21 in 2016. England lost their opening Six Nations match for the first time since 2014, which was also a loss to France in Paris. England failed to score points in the first half for the first time in a Six Nations match since their 35–3 victory over Ireland in 1988.
Round 2
FB 15Jordan LarmourRW 14Andrew ConwayOC 13Robbie Henshaw IC 12Bundee AkiLW 11Jacob StockdaleFH 10Johnny Sexton (c) SH 9 Conor Murray N8 8 CJ Stander OF 7 Josh van der FlierBF 6 Peter O'Mahony RL 5 James RyanLL 4 Iain Henderson TP 3 Tadhg Furlong HK 2 Rob Herring LP 1 Cian Healy Replacements:HK 16Rónan Kelleher PR 17Dave Kilcoyne PR 18Andrew Porter LK 19Devin Toner FL 20Max Deegan SH 21John Cooney FH 22Ross Byrne WG 23Keith Earls Coach:Andy Farrell FB 15Leigh HalfpennyRW 14George NorthOC 13Nick TompkinsIC 12Hadleigh ParkesLW 11Josh Adams FH 10Dan Biggar SH 9 Tomos Williams N8 8 Taulupe FaletauOF 7 Justin TipuricBF 6 Aaron Wainwright RL 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c)LL 4 Jake Ball TP 3 Dillon Lewis HK 2 Ken Owens LP 1 Wyn Jones Replacements:HK 16Ryan Elias PR 17Rhys Carré PR 18Leon Brown LK 19Adam Beard N8 20Ross Moriarty SH 21Gareth Davies FH 22Jarrod Evans WG 23Johnny McNicholl Coach:Wayne Pivac Player of the Match: CJ Stander (Ireland)
Touch judges: Luke Pearce (England) Mike Fraser (New Zealand) Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand) Notes: Max Deegan (Ireland) made his international debut. Owen Williams was named on the bench for Wales but was replaced by Jarrod Evans due to a calf injury.
FB 15Stuart Hogg (c)RW 14Sean MaitlandOC 13Huw Jones IC 12Sam JohnsonLW 11Blair KinghornFH 10Adam HastingsSH 9 Ali PriceN8 8 Magnus Bradbury OF 7 Hamish WatsonBF 6 Jamie RitchieRL 5 Jonny GrayLL 4 Scott Cummings TP 3 Zander Fagerson HK 2 Fraser Brown LP 1 Rory Sutherland Replacements:HK 16Stuart McInally PR 17Allan Dell PR 18Simon Berghan LK 19Ben Toolis N8 20Nick Haining SH 21George HorneCE 22Rory HutchinsonCE 23Chris Harris Coach:Gregor Townsend FB 15George FurbankRW 14Jonny MayOC 13Jonathan JosephIC 12Owen Farrell (c)LW 11Elliot DalyFH 10George FordSH 9 Willi Heinz N8 8 Tom CurryOF 7 Sam Underhill BF 6 Lewis Ludlam RL 5 George Kruis LL 4 Maro ItojeTP 3 Kyle SincklerHK 2 Jamie GeorgeLP 1 Mako Vunipola Replacements:HK 16Tom DunnPR 17Ellis Genge PR 18Will StuartLK 19Joe Launchbury LK 20Courtney Lawes FL 21Ben Earl SH 22Ben Youngs CE 23Ollie DevotoCoach:Eddie Jones Player of the Match: Sam Underhill (England)
Touch judges: Mathieu Raynal (France) Federico Anselmi (Argentina) Television match official: James Leckie (Australia) Notes: Ben Earl (England) made his international debut. England reclaimed the Calcutta Cup for the first time since 2017.
FB 15Anthony BouthierRW 14Teddy ThomasOC 13Arthur VincentIC 12Gaël FickouLW 11Vincent Rattez FH 10Romain Ntamack SH 9 Antoine Dupont N8 8 Grégory AlldrittOF 7 Charles Ollivon (c)BF 6 François Cros RL 5 Paul Willemse LL 4 Bernard Le Roux TP 3 Mohamed Haouas HK 2 Julien Marchand LP 1 Cyril Baille Replacements:HK 16Peato Mauvaka PR 17Jefferson Poirot PR 18Demba Bamba LK 19Romain Taofifénua LK 20Boris Palu FL 21Cameron Woki SH 22Baptiste Serin FH 23Matthieu Jalibert Coach:Fabien Galthié FB 15Jayden HaywardRW 14Mattia BelliniOC 13Luca MorisiIC 12Carlo CannaLW 11Matteo MinozziFH 10Tommaso Allan SH 9 Callum Braley N8 8 Braam SteynOF 7 Jake Polledri BF 6 Sebastian Negri RL 5 Niccolò CannoneLL 4 Dean Budd TP 3 Giosuè Zilocchi HK 2 Luca Bigi (c) LP 1 Andrea Lovotti Replacements:HK 16Federico Zani PR 17Danilo Fischetti PR 18Marco Riccioni LK 19Jimmy Tuivaiti LK 20Federico Ruzza FL 21Giovanni Licata SH 22Guglielmo Palazzani CE 23Giulio Bisegni Coach:Franco Smith Player of the Match: Grégory Alldritt (France)
Touch judges: Nigel Owens (Wales) Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand) Television match official: Brian MacNeice (Ireland) Notes: Alessandro Zanni (Italy) was originally named in the starting line-up, but suffered an injury in the pre-match warm-up and replaced by Dean Budd. Budd's place on the bench was taken by Jimmy Tuivaiti. France retained the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy.
Round 3