No one side can claim to have dominated the last 10 years of the Six Nations. Indeed, the trophy has been shared about with alarming regularity. There have been six Grand Slams since 2000, with four teams sharing them.

At the start of the decade, this did not seem a likely outcome when England won three of the first four competitions on their way to winning the 2003 World Cup.

Sir Clive Woodward's side played with uncharacteristic flair and adventure to suggest the start of a new dawn. They seemed invincible in 2001, racking up a series of records during wins over Wales (44-15, in Cardiff), Italy (80-23), France (48-19) and Scotland (43-3). The only defeat came against Ireland, after the match was put back following a foot-and-mouth outbreak.

England scored a record 229 points in all, including an unprecedented 28 tries. Jonny Wilkinson scored 35 against Italy, another record.

England, however, immediately ran out of steam after 2003 and France took over with four tournament wins in six years, including Grand Slams in 2002 and 2004.

Wales joined the party in 2005, their Grand Slam success including a back-from-the-dead 24-18 win at the Stade de France, with flanker Martyn Williams scoring two second-half tries.

Wales, championing adventurous rugby, did it again in 2008, courtesy of a 26-19 success against England, their first Twickenham win in 20 years, and a 29-12 victory over France which saw winger Shane Williams break Wales' try-scoring record. He was later named IRB Player of the Year.

Ireland are the current Six Nations champions, after winning the 2009 Grand Slam. It was only their second Grand Slam, the first coming in 1948.