Browse the 2011 Six Nations review from the rugby gurus at RugbyPass. We have analysed every result from the 2011 tournament, from Italy’s shocking victory over France to England’s defeat of Scotland.
Whether you want to revisit Chris Ashton’s stunning four-try triumph against Italy or the controversial Wales v Ireland game, scroll down for every detail from the Six Nations 2011.
2011 Six Nations Stats: Who Won the Six Nations 2011?
Six Nations 2011 Winner: England
The 2011 Six Nations Championship opened on Friday 4 February and ended on Saturday 19 March 2011. As the 12th edition of the Six Nations and the 117th series of the Championship, it was the first time the tournament had opened with a Friday night fixture.
One particular match was the talk of the tournament: Italy v France. Italy edged past the defending champions, producing one of the most notable upsets in Championship history. Despite this astonishing outcome, Italy finished last once again.
France were also defeated by England. As a result, England clinched their 26th outright Championship title. They were denied the Triple Crown and Grand Slam, however, by their round-five loss against Ireland.
Results aside, two England players were the top scorers of the Six Nations 2011. Toby Flood was the top point scorer with 50 points, while Chris Ashton was the top try scorer with six tries. Finally, the highest accolade, Player of the Tournament, went to Italy’s Andrea Masi.
Round One Review
Match one: Wales 19-26 England (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)
Match two: Italy 11-13 Ireland (Stadio Flaminio, Rome)
Match three: France 34-21 Scotland (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
The Friday opener of the 2011 Six Nations was a compelling match between Wales and England. Even though Wales piled on the pressure in the latter stages of the game, England preserved their lead. This was a stunning result for England, who secured their first win in Cardiff since their 2003 Grand Slam.
Next, Italy caused difficulty for Ireland. An error-filled Ireland underestimated their Italian opponents, allowing Luke McLean to score a 75-minute try. Fortunately, Ireland were rescued by Ronan O’Gara, whose 78-minute drop-goal tipped the balance of the game and Ireland ultimately triumphed 13-11.
Meanwhile, defending champions France sailed past Scotland 34-21. Their clinical performance – including a last-gasp penalty by Dimitri Yachvili – left Scotland reeling.
Round Two Review
Match one: England 59-13 Italy (Twickenham Stadium, London)
Match two: Scotland 6-24 Wales (Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh)
Match three: Ireland 22-25 France (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Round two of the Six Nations 2011 was the setting for Chris Ashton’s historic four-try performance. He scored his first three minutes in and his last with four minutes remaining on the clock. This made Ashton the first player to score four tries during the Six Nations era, and the first England player to achieve this feat in a Six Nations, Five Nations or Home Nations match since Ronald Poulton-Palmer in 1914.
After losing to England in the first round, Wales captured their first win against Scotland. The visitors delivered a stunning display and overpowered Scotland 24-6.
In match three, France produced a confident comeback in Ireland’s first Six Nations match at the Aviva Stadium. Despite only scoring one try to Ireland’s three, the French side made the most of Ireland’s foul play. This included Morgan Parra, who slotted all five of France’s penalties.
Round Three Review
Match one: Italy 16-24 Wales (Stadio Flaminio, Rome)
Match two: England 17-9 France (Twickenham Stadium, London)
Match three: Scotland 18-21 Ireland (Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh)
Wales managed to outplay Italy during round three of the Six Nations 2011. Although the Azzurri put on a valiant performance, Wales held the Italian squad at bay.
England secured their third win of the tournament when they faced France at Twickenham. Although the teams were tied 9-9 at the break, a second half Ben Foden try and a Jonny Wilkinson penalty ultimately gave England a convincing 17-9 victory.
Next, Scotland were dealt a devastating blow at Murrayfield. Undeterred by a late drop goal from Scotland’s Dan Parks, Ireland managed to maintain their lead and the match ended 21-18 in their favour.
Round Four Review
Match one: Italy 22-21 France (Stadio Flaminio, Rome)
Match two: Wales 19-13 Ireland (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)
Match three: England 22-16 Scotland (Twickenham Stadium, London)
Round four featured Italy’s famous win over France. After a penalty from Mirco Bergamasco gave Italy an early lead, France stormed ahead and led 18-6 after 50 minutes. Italy retaliated and a frustrated France handed Italy two late penalties. Both of these were expertly executed under pressure by Bergamasco, who sealed victory for the hosts.
This Italian victory was a major milestone. Not only was it the Azzurri’s first ever Six Nations win against France, it was also the first time they defeated France in Rome. As a result, the Azzurri claimed their first ever Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy.
The following match, Wales v Ireland, delivered further controversy. Replays showed Matthew Rees had thrown-in a different ball before Wales scored a try – this breaks Rugby Law 19.2. Despite uproar from Irish fans, play continued and Wales sealed their 19-13 win. Fortunately, Ireland had reason to celebrate. With this match, Ronan O’Gara became the fifth rugby player to score 1,000 test points.
Lastly, Scotland lost to England 22-16. This result left England in contention for the Grand Slam.
Round Five Review
Match one: Scotland 21-8 Italy (Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh)
Match two: Ireland 24-8 England (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Match three: France 28-9 Wales (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
Super Saturday began with a disappointing result for Italy. After their shock win in round four, the Azzurri were brought back down to earth. Italy’s 21-8 loss cemented their last-place finish, while Scotland took fifth place.
Next, Ireland ended England’s Grand Slam hopes with a 24-8 win at the Aviva Stadium. This victory included Brian O’Driscoll’s 25th Championship try, a figure that finally surpassed Ian Smith’s Five Nations record from 1933.
The Six Nations 2011 finale handed England their 26th outright title. With a brace from Lionel Nallet, France emerged as the victors with a 28-9 result. This was a glorious outcome for France and a blow for Wales; Wales needed a 27-point win to steal the title.
Six Nations Table 2011
Here are the Six Nations results from 2011:
Team | Won | Lost | Points Difference | Tries For | Total Points |
England | 4 | 1 | +51 | 13 | 8 |
France | 3 | 2 | +26 | 10 | 6 |
Ireland | 3 | 2 | +12 | 10 | 6 |
Wales | 3 | 2 | +6 | 6 | 6 |
Scotland | 1 | 4 | -27 | 6 | 2 |
Italy | 1 | 4 | -68 | 6 | 2 |
From Italy edging past France to the controversy in the Ireland vs Wales game, the Six Nations of 2011 was a tournament filled with shocks and controversies. While defending champions France fell to the Azzurri, England succeeded in securing their 26th outright win. However, they failed to claim their long-awaited Grand Slam – they won their last in 2003.
In contrast, Scotland’s only win was their round-five result against Italy. This left Italy in last place and claiming their ninth wooden spoon since they entered the tournament in 2000.
