2008 Six Nations Championship
The 2008 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2008 RBS 6 Nations because of sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the ninth series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship, the 114th series of the international championship.
| 2008 Six Nations Championship | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 The Welsh team that won the Grand Slam | |||
| Date | 2 February – 15 March 2008 | ||
| Countries |  England France Ireland Italy Scotland Wales | ||
| Tournament statistics | |||
| Champions | Wales (24th title) | ||
| Grand Slam | Wales (10th title) | ||
| Triple Crown | Wales (19th title) | ||
| Matches played | 15 | ||
| Tries scored | 50 (3.33 per match) | ||
| Top point scorer(s) | Jonny Wilkinson (50) | ||
| Top try scorer(s) | Shane Williams (6) | ||
| Player of the tournament | Shane Williams | ||
| |||
Fifteen matches were played over five weekends from 2 February to 15 March, resulting in Wales winning the Grand Slam, their second in the last four championships and tenth overall. In winning the Grand Slam, Wales also won the Triple Crown, for beating each of the other Home Nations, for the 19th time. Wales conceded only two tries in the championship, beating England's previous record of four tries conceded. Wales' Shane Williams was named the Player of the Championship.[1]
Participants
For the second year running, Ireland play their home games at Croke Park, while Lansdowne Road is being redeveloped.
The teams involved were:
Squads
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | T | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wales |
5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 148 | 66 | +82 | 13 | 10 |
| 2 | England |
5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 108 | 83 | +25 | 8 | 6 |
| 3 | France |
5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 103 | 93 | +10 | 11 | 6 |
| 4 | Ireland |
5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 93 | 99 | −6 | 9 | 4 |
| 5 | Scotland |
5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 69 | 123 | −54 | 3 | 2 |
| 6 | Italy |
5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 74 | 131 | −57 | 6 | 2 |
Source:
Results
Round 1
| 2 February 2008 14:00 |
| Ireland | 16–11 | Italy |
| Try: Dempsey 18' c Con: O'Gara (1/1) Pen: O'Gara (3/4) 12', 57', 66' | Report | Try: Castrogiovanni 60' m Pen: Bortolussi (2/3) 38', 70' |
| Croke Park, Dublin Attendance: 75,387 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) |
| 2 February 2008 16:30 |
| England | 19–26 | Wales |
| Try: Flood 23' c Con: Wilkinson (1/1) Pen: Wilkinson (3/4) 1', 11', 45' Drop: Wilkinson (1/1) 17' | Report | Try: Byrne 67' c Phillips 70' c Con: Hook (2/2) Pen: Hook (4/4) 4', 34', 57', 63' |
| Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 82,000 Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa) |
- This was Wales' first win over England at Twickenham Stadium for 20 years.
| 3 February 2008 15:00 |
| Scotland | 6–27 | France |
| Pen: Parks (1/2) 30' Drop: Parks (1/2) 4' | Report | Try: Clerc 12' c, 65' c Malzieu 23' c Con: Élissalde (2/2) Skrela(1/1) Pen: Traille (2/2) 18', 55' |
| Murrayfield, Edinburgh Attendance: 67,800 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)[lower-alpha 4] |
Round 2
| 9 February 2008 14:00 |
| Wales | 30–15 | Scotland |
| Try: S. Williams 13' c, 68' c Hook 46' c Con: Hook (2/2) S. Jones (1/1) Pen: Hook (1/1) 28' S. Jones (2/2) 63', 71' | Report | Pen: Paterson (5/5) 10', 32', 42', 50', 55 |
| Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 74,576 Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) |
| 9 February 2008 16:00 |
| France | 26–21 | Ireland |
| Try: Clerc 14' c, 18' m, 35' c Heymans 48' c Con: Élissalde (3/4) | Report | Try: Penalty try 55' c D. Wallace 59' m Con: O'Gara (1/2) Pen: O'Gara (3/3) 17', 28', 74' |
| Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 76,500 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
| 10 February 2008 14:30 |
| Italy | 19–23 | England |
| Try: Picone 76' c Con: Bortolussi (1/1) Pen: Bortolussi (4/4) 5', 11', 44', 54' | Report | Try: Sackey 3' c Flood 15' c Con: Wilkinson (2/2) Pen: Wilkinson (3/4) 31', 37', 57' |
| Stadio Flaminio, Rome Attendance: 30,625 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland) |
Round 3
| 23 February 2008 15:00 |
| Wales | 47–8 | Italy |
| Try: Byrne 28' c, 68' c Shanklin 42' c S. Williams 57' c, 74' c Con: S. Jones (3/3) Hook (2/2) Pen: S. Jones (4/4) 4', 11', 47', 50' | Report | Try: Castrogiovanni 12' m Pen: Marcato (1/2) 40+2' |
| Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 74,305 Referee: Dave Pearson (England) |
| 23 February 2008 17:00 |
| Ireland | 34–13 | Scotland |
| Try: D. Wallace 22' c Kearney 26' c Horan 41' m Bowe 62' c, 79' m Con: O'Gara (3/5) Pen: O'Gara (1/1) 50' | Report | Try: Webster 53' c Con: Paterson (1/1) Pen: Paterson (2/2) 24', 31' |
| Croke Park, Dublin Attendance: 74,234 Referee: Christophe Berdos (France) |
- Ireland won the Centenary Quaich.
| 23 February 2008 20:00 |
| France | 13–24 | England |
| Try: Nallet 24' c Con: Traille(1/1) Pen: Parra (1/1) 49' Yachvili (1/1) 74' | Report | Try: Sackey 5' c Wigglesworth 79' m Con: Wilkinson (1/2) Pen: Wilkinson (3/5) 14', 29', 68' Drop: Wilkinson (1/2) 64' |
| Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 79,593 Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand) |
- Jonny Wilkinson drew level with Wales' Neil Jenkins as the all-time leading point scorer in international rugby history with 1,090 career points (including points scored for the British and Irish Lions).
- This result left Wales as the only remaining team that could win the Grand Slam.
- This was England's first away win over France in the Six Nations since their 15–9 win in 2000.
Round 4
| 8 March 2008 13:15 |
| Ireland | 12–16 | Wales |
| Pen: O'Gara (4/4) 5', 19', 62', 68' | Report | Try: S. Williams 51' c Con: S. Jones (1/1) Pen: S. Jones (2/4) 26', 46' Hook (1/1) 76' |
| Croke Park, Dublin Attendance: 75,000 Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
- Shane Williams scored his 40th international try for Wales, drawing him level with Gareth Thomas as Wales' all-time top try scorer.
- Wales won the Triple Crown.
| 8 March 2008 15:15 |
| Scotland | 15–9 | England |
| Pen: Paterson (4/4) 9', 31', 40+2', 41' Parks (1/1) 48' | Report | Pen: Wilkinson (3/5) 27', 50', 53' |
| Murrayfield, Edinburgh Attendance: 67,987 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) |
- England's Jonny Wilkinson became the all-time scoring leader in international rugby history, surpassing Wales' Neil Jenkins.
- Scotland won the Calcutta Cup.
| 9 March 2008 15:00 |
| France | 25–13 | Italy |
| Try: Floch 13' c Jauzion 53' m Rougerie 66' c Con: Yachvili (2/3) Pen: Yachvili (2/2) 27', 37' | Report | Try: Castrogiovanni 58' c Con: Marcato (1/1) Pen: Marcato (2/2) 18', 31' |
| Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 79,000 Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland) |
- France won their second consecutive Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy.
Round 5
| 15 March 2008 13:00 |
| Italy | 23–20 | Scotland |
| Try: Penalty try 13' c Canale 59' c Con: Marcato (2/2) Pen: Marcato (2/4) 36', 68' Drop: Marcato (1/1) 79' | Report | Try: Hogg 21' c Blair 40' c Con: Paterson (2/2) Pen: Parks (1/1) 25' Paterson (1/1) 72' |
| Stadio Flaminio, Rome Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
- Despite victory over the Scots, Italy won the "wooden spoon", having failed to win by the necessary five-point margin required to avoid finishing at the bottom of the table.
| 15 March 2008 15:00 |
| England | 33–10 | Ireland |
| Try: Sackey 19' c Tait 57' c Noon 69' c Con: Cipriani (3/3) Pen: Cipriani (4/4) 12', 30', 44', 73' | Report | Try: Kearney 4' c Con: O'Gara (1/1) Pen: O'Gara (1/2) 7' |
| Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 82,000 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia) |
- England won the Millennium Trophy for the first time in five years.
| 15 March 2008 17:00 |
| Wales | 29–12 | France |
| Try: S. Williams 60' c M. Williams 77' c Con: S. Jones (2/2) Pen: Hook (3/5) 5', 18', 21' S. Jones (2/2) 63', 74' | Report | Pen: Élissalde (3/3) 19', 39', 46' Yachvili (1/1) 69' |
| Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 74,609 Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa) |
- Shane Williams took sole possession of the all-time try scoring lead for Wales with his 41st try.
- Wales won the Grand Slam for the second time in four championships.
- By virtue of Wales beating France by more than three points, England finished second in the table, their best Six Nations finish since 2003.
- Wales conceded just two tries all championship, the tightest ever defence in the Six Nations.
Scorers
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Notes
- Lansdowne Road, Ireland's traditional home, is being redeveloped and is expected to be back in use by 2009.
- Ronan O'Gara captained Ireland in their final match against England, which O'Driscoll missed due to a hamstring tear.
- White missed Scotland's third game because of concussion and started on the bench in the last two games. He was replaced as captain for these games by Mike Blair.
- Rolland replaced original referee Paul Honiss, who was forced to return to New Zealand due to a serious family illness.
References
- "Williams wins RBS player of the Championship". RBS 6 Nations. 19 March 2008. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2008.
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