Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the ninety-first series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship.

The championship was contested by England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The tournament suffered three match postponements due to bad weather.

The opening fixtures, Ireland v England and France v Wales, were postponed to late March and the Wales v England match was put back from February to April because of a frozen pitch in Cardiff.

The rescheduled match was notable for the debut, at fly half for Wales, of Jonathan Davies.