2010 Six Nations Championship finished in fifth and sixth positions for the third tournament in a row. Both teams achieved just one victory each, with Scotland also recording a draw in the Calcutta Cup match against England to place ahead of Italy. The reigning champions on entering the tournament were Ireland, who won the Grand Slam and Triple Crown in 2009. Ireland did not win the Triple Crown in 2010 due to a surprise 23–20 loss to Scotland in the final Six Nations match at Croke Park on 20 March, with Scotland avoiding their third "wooden spoon" since 2004 in the process. Brian O'Driscoll
2009 Grand Slam of Darts Corporation met and decreed that he would not be invited to any future tournaments. An invitation to compete in the 2009 Grand Slam of Darts was also awarded to: Simon Whitlock topped the Dart Players Australia Order of Merit, but had already secured his place in the Grand Slam as the 2008 BDO World Championship runner-up. Steve Macarthur, who came second, was not awarded an invitation. The PDC North American Order of Merit ranks all of the North American dart players based on the amount of prize money that they have won from tournaments held in the USA and Canada.