The 2025 installment of the Six Nations has been one of the most thrilling in recent memory, and heading into week five, three teams were still hopeful of victory. The top three teams, namely France, England, and Ireland, were all separated by just two points, and with four being awarded for a victory plus a plethora of bonus points on offer, any of the trio could have emerged victorious. To add to the drama, none of the three outfits gunning for the title were playing against each other, and their performances against Scotland, Wales, and Italy, respectively, would decide the destination of the trophy.
Despite the close nature of the standings, online crypto sportsbook providers had one clear favorite heading into the final round of fixtures. France. The popular Thunderpick Sportsbook made Les Bleus a 1/8 favorite for the crown, and with a home clash with Scotland all that stood between them and the trophy, it’s clear to see why.
This year’s photo finish got us thinking of thrillers from years gone by, and there have been plenty of them in recent campaigns. Here are the most dramatic Six Nations finishes.
France’s Last-Gasp Triumph
The 2007 Six Nations was as unpredictable as they come. Entering the final day, four teams—France, Ireland, England, and Italy—still had a mathematical chance of winning the trophy. Admittedly, the Azzurri were the least likely to emerge victorious, but the leading trio all harbored genuine hopes of being crowned champions.
What unfolded was a weekend of pure chaos. The Boys in Green played the Italians first and seemed in control, leading comfortably. They led 51-17 in the dying embers in Rome, thanks to braces from Girvan Dempsey and Denis Heckie, and were gunning for more points as the clock ticked past 80 minutes in a bid to set France an unassailable target. In hindsight, their decision to keep playing rather than kicking the ball into touch and ending the game backfired spectacularly as Roland de Marigny intercepted an Irish pass and scored for Italy, reducing the margin of victory that France needed to beat Scotland by to 23 points.
All eyes then were on the Stade de France as the French looked to demolish the Tartan Army and steal the title from under Ireland’s nose. And they were well on course to achieve their goal as the minutes ticked away, but a late try from Euan Murray threatened to spoil the party.
Needing a try to secure the championship, Les Bleus battered away at the Scottish defence, and they were rewarded for their efforts thanks to an injury-time try from Elvis Vermeulen, which sealed a 46-19 victory. The referee called on the Television Match Official (an Irishman, no less) to confirm the try, which he duly did, and France was crowned champions by a points differential of just four. Had Ireland just kicked the ball out of play in their game in Rome, the title would have headed to Dublin instead.
Wales Crush England’s Grand Slam Dreams
Fast-forward to 2013, and England were on the brink of an unforgettable Grand Slam. They had already beaten Ireland in Dublin and France at Twickenham, and a first slam in a decade was within their grasp. The small matter that stood between them and immortality was a fiery clash with Wales at a raucous Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. And if that wasn’t enough, not only would a win for the Red Dragons end England’s Grand Slam hopes, but it would also make the Welsh the Six Nations champions at their arch-rivals’ expense.
With the stakes higher than ever, many predicted a cagey affair in which neither team would want to give too much away. Ultimately, however, what we witnessed was a demolition job for the ages. The Welsh back row, led by Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric, was relentless, and the visitors simply couldn’t cope with the constant pressure they were under. Two sensational second-half tries from Alex Cuthbert handed Wales a stunning 30-3 victory, their biggest ever margin against England.
Ireland’s Emotional Parisian Exploits
If 2013 was defined by dominance, the 2014 Six Nations finale was tension turned up to the max. Ireland traveled to Paris knowing they needed a win against France to edge past England on points difference and seal the title. Adding emotional weight to the clash was the fact that it was captain Brian O’Driscoll’s last game for his country, bringing the curtain down on the career of the Emerald Isle’s finest ever player.
The match ebbed and flowed one way then the next, with fly half Jonny Sexton delivering a performance for the ages. He helped himself to two tries as well as a plethora of kicks to give Ireland a razor-thin 22-20 lead deep into the second half. However, Les Bleus were desperate to stop the Irish party – especially on their home turf – and it looked as though they had when a ferocious last-gasp attack saw Damien Chouly cross the try line with what appeared to be a match-winning score.
Upon review, however, the video referee deemed that the pass to the try scorer was a forward one, and thus the score was ruled out. Relief swept through the Irish ranks, and as the final whistle blew, they celebrated their first Six Nations title since 2009, with O’Driscoll lifting the trophy in tears, proving a fitting image for the final act of his stellar career.
