2001 Six Nations Championship 2001 Six Nations Championship The 2001 Six Nations Championship was the second series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship, and the 107th international championship overall. The tournament was affected by an outbreak of the highly infectious livestock disease foot and mouth in Britain. As a consequence, there were restrictions on travel and Ireland's three fixtures against the home nations were postponed until September and October. The eventual winners were England for the second year running, although they once again missed out on the Grand Slam at the final hurdle, losing to Ireland in the final match of the tournament
Grand Slam (rugby union) made a Five Nations Grand Slam in 1912–13 and 1951–52. Grand Slams by touring teams have been achieved nine times: four times each by South Africa and New Zealand, and once by Australia. Australia is the only country to have lost against all four home nations, on their 1957–58 tour, also Australia lost to France on the tour. After 1984, Southern Hemisphere sides started to tour the British Isles more frequently, but to play fewer Tests on each tour, and thus there were no Grand Slam tours between 1984 and 1998. However, since 1998 Grand Slam tours have become quite