| Ireland contest new Triple Crown trophy
 The Six Nations
organising committee has for the first time decided to make a Triple Crown
trophy available for Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.
Unlike in previous years, the team that defeated the other home nations
only took the title of the Triple Crown, the winners will receive a silver
trophy.
“For such a long-running and much contested prize in rugby, it may
seem quite surprising that no physical trophy for the Triple Crown has
ever been adopted by the Home Unions,” said Six Nations chief executive
John Feehan.
“To now have something that is tangible and so impressive will add
greatly to the already ultra-competitive environment of the Six Nations.”
Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll, who led his side to a Triple Crown
victory in 2004, welcomed the new trophy saying: “When we won the
Triple Crown in 2004 for the first time in 19 years it was a fantastic
occasion and one of the most memorable days in my career so far —
but to have been handed a trophy would have been the icing on the cake.”
The trophy has been commissioned by Six Nations sponsors the Royal Bank
of Scotland who have also announced they had agreed a four-year contract
extension of their support for Europe’s leading rugby union international
tournament.
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