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
Grand Slam (rugby union) wins the Grand Slam will get three bonus points. This will eliminate the possibility of a Grand Slam winner losing the championship on bonus points. "* In 1908 and 1909 matches with France were played, although they were not part of the Championship." A Grand Slam tour is one in which a touring national team from , and plays Test matches against all four home nations (, , and ). If the tourists win all four of these games, they are said to have achieved a Grand Slam. Some Grand Slam tours made visits to play , and South Africa