2009 Six Nations Championship their arrival at Dublin Airport. Brian O'Driscoll described 21 March as a “sweet, sweet day”. The game was watched by 945,000 people in Ireland, the highest rating television programme in the country by that stage of 2009. Former coach Eddie O'Sullivan was said to be "delighted" for the team. Brian O'Driscoll was named player of the tournament, beating Italy's Sergio Parisse and Ireland teammate Paul O'Connell. O'Connell was later named captain of the British and Irish Lions team to tour South Africa and containing fourteen members of the Grand Slam winning Irish team on 21 April 2009, describing it as
2008 Six Nations Under 20s Championship 2008 Six Nations Under 20s Championship The 2008 Six Nations Under 20s Championship was a rugby union competition held between February and March 2008. This is the first competition of the tournament of less than 20 years , born from the merger of tournament U19 tournament and U21. The England team won this first edition of the tournament by making a Grand Slam. England won the first tournament along with the Grand Slam and Triple Crown. Noah Cato (ENG) - 6 Leigh Halfpenny (WAL) - 3 Zagar, Bastareaud (both FRA), Strain (SCO), Stegmann, Ellis, Cox, Eves (all ENG) - 2