The 1994 Five Nations Championship was the 65th series of the Five Nations Championship, an annual rugby union competition between the major Northern Hemisphere rugby union national teams. The tournament consisted of ten matches held between 15 January and 19 March 1994.

The tournament was the 65th in its then format as the Five Nations. Including the competition's former incarnation as the Home Nations Championship, the 1994 Five Nations Championship was the 100th Northern Hemisphere rugby union championship.

The championship was contested by England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It was the first time that the Five Nations championship title was decided by using points difference to separate the top two teams that finished level on win–loss record. Wales won the tournament, with England needing a 16-point margin of victory over Wales in the final match to snatch the tournament themselves, but fell short, conceding a late Welsh try while pressing for the score that would have given them a big enough margin. Earlier in the tournament, England won the Calcutta Cup beating Scotland at Murrayfield. In a comparatively low scoring tournament, England then surprisingly lost at home to Ireland, ending their own hopes of a Grand Slam. Scotland performed poorly throughout and although somewhat unfortunate to lose to England, were heavily defeated by Wales in their opening match and could only manage a draw against Ireland, before being beaten by France at home in their final fixture. The overall result was, however, Wales' 22nd outright victory, including seven victories in the Home Nations, excluding eleven titles shared with other countries. England and France placed second and third with three and two wins respectively. Ireland placed fourth, with Scotland, last. None of the Home Nations achieved the Triple Crown.

Wales missed out on a ninth Grand Slam after losing to England at Twickenham.

Participants

The teams involved were:

NationVenueCityHead coachCaptain
EnglandTwickenhamLondonGeoff CookeWill Carling
FranceParc des PrincesParisPierre BerbizierOlivier Roumat/Philippe Saint-André
IrelandLansdowne RoadDublinGerry MurphyMichael Bradley
ScotlandMurrayfieldEdinburghJim TelferGavin Hastings
WalesNational StadiumCardiffAlan DaviesIeuan Evans/Gareth Llewellyn

Squads

Table

PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts
1Wales43017851+276
2England43016049+116
3France42028469+154
4Ireland41124970−213
5Scotland40133870−321

Results

1994-01-15 14:30
France35 - 15Ireland
Tries: Benetton Lacroix Merle Saint-André Con: Lacroix (3) Pen: Lacroix (3)Pen: Elwood (5)
Parc des Princes, Paris Referee: J. M. Fleming (Scotland)
1994-01-15 14:30
Wales29 - 6Scotland
Tries: I. Evans Rayer (2) Con: N. Jenkins Pen: N. Jenkins (4)Pen: G. Hastings (2)
National Stadium, Cardiff Referee: P. Robin (France)

1994-02-05 14:30
Ireland15 - 17Wales
Pen: Elwood (5)Tries: N. Jenkins Pen: N. Jenkins (4)
Lansdowne Road, Dublin Referee: A. J. Spreadbury (England)
1994-02-05 14:30
Scotland14 - 15England
Tries: Wainwright Pen: G. Hastings (2) Drops: TownsendPen: Callard (5)
Murrayfield, Edinburgh Referee: L. L. McLachlan (New Zealand)

1994-02-19 14:30
England12 - 13Ireland
Pen: Callard (4)Tries: Geoghegan Con: Elwood Pen: Elwood (2)
Twickenham, London Referee: P. Thomas (France)
1994-02-19 14:30
Wales24 - 15France
Tries: Quinnell Walker Con: N. Jenkins Pen: N. Jenkins (4)Tries: Roumat Sella Con: Lacroix Pen: Lacroix
National Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 52,000 Referee: L. L. McLachlan (New Zealand)

1994-03-05 14:30
France14 - 18England
Tries: Benazzi Pen: Lacroix (3)Pen: Andrew (5) Drops: Andrew
Parc des Princes, Paris Referee: S. R. Hilditch (Ireland)
1994-03-05 14:30
Ireland6 - 6Scotland
Pen: Elwood (2)Pen: G. Hastings (2)
Lansdowne Road, Dublin Referee: E. F. Morrison (England)

1994-03-19 14:30
England15 - 8Wales
Tries: Rodber R. Underwood Con: Andrew Pen: AndrewTries: Walker Pen: N. Jenkins
Twickenham, London Referee: J. M. Fleming (Scotland)
1994-03-19 14:30
Scotland12 - 20France
Pen: G. Hastings (4)Tries: Sadourny Saint-André Con: Lacroix Montlaur Pen: Lacroix (2)
Murrayfield, Edinburgh Attendance: 49,000 Referee: W. D. Bevan (Wales)

External links

  • at ESPN