From card games to films, music to video games, the term ‘Grand Slam’ has held many meanings over the years. In sporting parlance, it is always used to describe a set of crucial games or championships played in the same year, often very close together. In rugby union’s case, the most famous example is that attached to the Six Nations.
There have been other uses for the term, even within rugby. A Grand Slam tour is used in reference to a touring country, in this case Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, going up against all four of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. If the touring country wins all four games, they are considered to have achieved the Grand Slam. The main focus however is the Six Nations Championship and before that, the Five Nations.
Grand Slams in the Five and Six Nations
In the Six Nations, a Grand Slam has occurred should one team beat all the others during that year’s championship. The Six Nations of course features England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Before 2000 when Italy joined, Grand Slam winners only needed four victories.
Up to 2025, the Six Nations Grand Slam has been won some 42 times. England have won 13 Grand Slams, Wales 12, France 10, Ireland 4 and Scotland 3. Italy have yet to win a Grand Slam and continue to make slow progress in the international arena. As competition winners, teams achieving the Grand Slam are awarded the Six Nations trophy only. There is no official recognition for Grand Slam winners, though such teams tend to be remembered very fondly.
Grand Slam Difficulty
It goes without saying that technically, since 2000 when Italy’s inclusion turned the Five Nations into the Six Nations, winning a Grand Slam has become more difficult. Winning more than one is rarer still. Only three of the nations involved have ever won back-to-back Grand Slams. This is despite some of the great teams of the past staying together for a number of years.
Consecutive Grand Slam victories have been achieved only by these sides:
- Wales in 1908 and 1909
- England in 1913/14, 1923/24 and 1991/92
- France in 1997/98
Not a single Six Nations team has ever won three Grand Slams in a row. Before 2000, only four wins were needed for a Grand Slam with only five teams taking part. Two games were played at home, and two away. Now, with Italy involved, five wins are needed. The Six Nations has been using bonus points since 2017. This affects the league table generally, but it is especially important when it comes to a potential Grand Slam.
Now, a winning team could effectively achieve the ‘Perfect Grand Slam’ or the ‘Super Grand Slam’, meaning five bonus point wins out of five. This hasn’t been done quite yet, though Ireland did manage 27/28 bonus points when winning the Grand Slam in 2023. The point is that before, four wins were needed, then five. Now, to really achieve perfection, Six Nations teams are looking for not only the Grand Slam but the perfect one, making things harder and driving the game on.
Five and Six Nations Grand Slam Winners
Perfect and ‘bonus point’ Grand Slams are the dream, but any Grand Slam is still a major achievement for a Six Nations team. These are the Grand Slams won in both the Five Nations and Six Nations eras by all participating sides.
| Team | Five Nations Grand Slam Years | Six Nations Grand Slam Years | Total Grand Slams |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1913, 1914, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1928, 1957, 1980, 1991, 1992, 1995 | 2003, 2016 | 13 |
| Wales | 1908, 1909, 1911, 1950, 1952, 1971, 1976, 1978 | 2005, 2008, 2012, 2019 | 12 |
| France | 1968, 1977, 1981, 1987, 1997, 1998 | 2002, 2004, 2010, 2022 | 10 |
| Ireland | 1948 | 2009, 2018, 2023 | 4 |
| Scotland | 1925, 1984, 1990 | 3 | |
| Italy | N/A | 0 |
This shows something interesting. Wales, as a dedicated rugby nation, have been solid across the board. England too. France however, once a developing rugby nation, have won all ten of their Grand Slams in the time England have won six. Another interesting comparison is between Ireland and Scotland. Three of Ireland’s four Grand Slams have come not just in the Six Nations era, but since 2009. Scotland on the other hand won all three of their Grand Slams in the Five Nations era, with none since 1990.
Grand Slam Tours
Away from the Six Nations, the other major use in rugby for the term ‘Grand Slam’ concerns touring countries. The countries in question are Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. When any of this trio of top nations plays Test matches against all four of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and wins them all, they’ve achieved the Grand Slam.
Naturally, some tours will also include playing other teams, notably France. On two occasions, South Africa managed to land a “Five Nations Grand Slam” when beating France and all four ‘home nations’ in both 1912/13 and 1951/52. This particular brand of Grand Slam has been won nine times in total. Australia have managed it once, while both South Africa and New Zealand have achieved it four times.
In fact, by contrast to the more successful touring duo, Australia are the only country to have lost to all four home nations on a tour, also being defeated by France on the same trip in 1957/58.
Touring Grand Slam Achievements
In terms of how often this can happen, things have changed up and down the years. After 1984, teams from the Southern Hemisphere began touring more often, but then played fewer games. Because of this, there were no Grand Slam tours at all between 1984 and 1998.
Since then, however, such tours have once again become more commonplace with the number of games being played increasing. These are the total Grand Slam tours achieved by Southern Hemisphere teams against England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales:
| Team | Grand Slam Tours Achieved |
|---|---|
| New Zealand | 1978, 2005, 2008, 2010 |
| South Africa | 1912/13, 1931/32, 1951/52, 1960/61 |
| Australia | 1984 |