The first match to be staged at Wales’s new iconic national ground was the clash with France. France, the runners-up from the 1999 Rugby World Cup in which they claimed a shock scalp by outclassing New Zealand in the semi-final, entered their Six Nations opener with Wales as favourites.

On the back of their international revival France outclassed an undisciplined and lacklustre Welsh side that managed only one penalty score to France’s three tries and Christophe Lamaison’s twenty-one points. Neil Jenkins secured a forty-six metre penalty in the first half and Wales trailed by only 3-9 at the interval. Yet the French, who had remained quiet in the first period began their devastation in the fifty-sixth minute and notched up three tries in thirteen minutes. Wales failed to reduce the deficit and were consequently defeated by a crushing thirty-three points.

Round two of the tournament saw Wales host newcomers Italy at their new stadium. On the back of a French defeat Wales emerged the victors, in a match which saw Pontypridd fly-half Neil Jenkins break two international rugby scoring records. Wales achieved four tries to Italy’s one, including a try for debutant wing Shane Williams in the first half. Despite the Italians holding a brief early lead Wales went on to record their heaviest defeat of Italy on Welsh soil.

Tries from Scott Quinnell, Allan Bateman and Shane Howarth pushed Wales further into the lead and Jenkins’s boot benefited from Italian indiscipline as he notched up a personal tally of twenty-seven points. The Italians achieved a consolatory try late on, due to Welsh complacency, but never looked like challenging Wales who had secured their first win of the championship.

Wales travelled to Twickenham for their first away fixture of the 2000 championship. The English convincingly crushed a Welsh side that were largely competitive in the first half. However, English domination ensued in the second half as their forwards annihilated the tired Welsh pack. Phil Greening, Richard Hill, Lawrence Dallaglio and Neil Back all secured tries whilst Ben Cohen added to the rout a few minutes from time. Welsh indiscipline, which saw both Scott Quinnell and Garin Jenkins receive spells in the sin-bin, allowed Jonny Wilkinson to notch a tally of twenty-one points.

Neil Jenkins was faultless with Welsh kicking but England were unanswerable in this concise, well-rounded fragmentation of the Welsh. Wales were left to regroup after this disastrous loss whilst England marched on to the prospect of a grand slam-winning tournament.

Wales next hosted Scotland in Cardiff, a match in which Shane Williams shone in a double try-scoring effort in only his third appearance in a Welsh jersey. Llanelli’s Stephen Jones, in as a replacement for Wales’s record-breaking fly half Neil Jenkins, kicked sixteen points in the 26-18 Welsh victory. Wales led 13-3 at the interval aided by the fact that two unlucky kicks from Duncan Hodge had rebounded off the uprights.

Further bad luck saw an apparently legitimate Scottish try disallowed five minutes into the restart but the Scots reduced the deficit to trail by only three points shortly after. As Jones secured two penalties and a nine point buffer for Wales the Scottish spirit sank. Williams secured his second try and the Scottish woe continued as they were reduced to fourteen men for the closing stages of the match Although Scotland drew blood with a consolatory try Wales secured their second win of the championship without much contest from the Auld Enemy.

Wales travelled to Lansdowne Road to encounter an Irish side that had in their previous match overcome France in Paris for the first time in 28 years. After gaining this prize scalp Ireland failed to add Wales’s to their collection as they suffered a narrow 19-23 defeat. Ireland took an early 6-0 lead and although Stephen Jones failed to reduce this deficit Nathan Budgett soon after secured Wales’s first try and Jones attained the lead as he found the conversion. The difficult greasy conditions saw a static second quarter but Jones took the Welsh into a 6-10 lead.

Jones compensated for his unsuccessful first half kicking as he scored a try after the interval and converted his own effort. Ireland fought back and regained the lead after a try and two penalty conversions but Neil Jenkins came on as a replacement with fifteen minutes of the match remaining. He secured two difficult attempts at goal to secure Wales’s third victory in the Lloyds TSB championship.

Having secured three wins out of five games played in their dramatic close to the tournament Wales had regained their self-respect from the large losses inflicted by France and England. England claimed the 2000 title; they had looked set to complete a grand slam but encountered an heroic Scotland side who recorded a shock victory. Having lost all four previous matches in the championship Scotland avoided the Wooden Spoon and denied the English their complete glory.

Newcomers Italy, who had taken the lead against France, Wales and England but incurred eventual defeats, overpowered Scotland at home at the Stadio Flaminio in their opening Six Nations match. This major triumph gave some weight to the sixth-place finish Italy achieved whilst Wales finished fourth in the table but had secured three wins on a par with Ireland and France.