▁Southern ▁Hem is phere ▁respectively . ▁ ▁The ▁Six ▁Nations ▁is ▁an ▁annual ▁competition ▁involving ▁the ▁European ▁teams ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁ ▁and ▁. ▁Each ▁country ▁plays ▁the ▁other ▁five ▁once . ▁Following ▁the ▁first ▁international s ▁between ▁England ▁and ▁Scotland , ▁Ireland ▁and ▁Wales ▁began ▁compet ing ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s , ▁forming ▁the ▁Home ▁International ▁Championships . ▁France ▁joined ▁the ▁tournament ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 0 s ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁the ▁term ▁Five ▁Nations ▁first ▁appeared . ▁However , ▁the ▁Home ▁Nations ▁( Eng land , ▁Ireland , ▁Scotland , ▁and ▁Wales ) ▁ex cluded ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁amid ▁a ▁run ▁of ▁poor ▁results , ▁alleg ations ▁of ▁professional ism ▁and ▁concerns ▁over ▁on - field ▁violence . ▁France ▁then ▁rejo ined ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 – 1 9 4 0 , ▁though ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁halt ed ▁proceed ings ▁for ▁a ▁further ▁eight ▁years . ▁France ▁has ▁played ▁in ▁all ▁the ▁tournament s ▁since ▁W W II , ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁played ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Italy ▁became ▁the ▁sixth ▁nation ▁in ▁the ▁contest ▁and ▁Rome ' s ▁Stad io ▁Olimp ico ▁has ▁replaced ▁Stad io ▁Fl amin io ▁as ▁the ▁ven ue ▁for ▁their ▁home ▁games ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁The ▁current ▁Six ▁Nations ▁champions ▁are ▁Wales . ▁ ▁The ▁Rugby ▁Championship ▁is ▁the ▁Southern ▁Hem is