The Six Nations are the six European national rugby union teams that compete each year in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales.

Who are the Six Nations?

The term “Six Nations” usually refers to these six men’s national rugby teams that play in the annual Six Nations Championship, held every February–March:

  • England
  • France
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Scotland
  • Wales

The tournament is one of the oldest and most-watched events in world rugby, and it’s currently sponsored as the Guinness Men’s Six Nations.

Quick basics about the Six Nations

  • It is an annual international rugby union tournament.
  • Each team plays every other team once (home or away) across five rounds.
  • Points are awarded for wins, draws, and bonus points (for scoring enough tries or losing narrowly).
  • The team with the most points at the end is crowned champion; a team that wins all five matches is said to have won the Grand Slam.

Why these six countries?

Historically, the competition began as the Home Nations Championship (England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales) in the late 19th century.

  • France was added, creating the Five Nations.
  • Italy joined in 2000, creating the modern Six Nations lineup.

Related meanings (in case you meant others)

Depending on context, “Six Nations” can also refer to other things (for example, Indigenous confederacies like the Haudenosaunee). If you were asking about a different “Six Nations” than the rugby tournament, tell me which context you mean (rugby, history, Indigenous nations, etc.), and I can tailor the answer. TL;DR:
In rugby, “the Six Nations” are the national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales that compete in the yearly Six Nations Championship.