The 6 nations by train - the greener way to support your country

The Six Nations Championship is one of the highlights of the rugby union calendar, pitting six of Europe's rugby heavyweights against each other - namely England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy. With three of these counties located on the British mainland, supporting your team in the Six Nations Championship doesn't have to cost the earth, and doesn't have to be environmentally damaging either.



Seeing your team play at each country's stadium can be done entirely without the use of flights, which is sure to be welcome news for environmentally-conscious sport fans who don't wish to increase their carbon footprints when travelling to host cities to show support for their home teams.



Whereas international sporting championships typically involve destinations further afield, such as the FIFA World Cup, the Six Nations takes place in a more confined area. The EuroTunnel now means France and Italy are well connected to the UK by rail and road, and a number of ferry companies operate services to Ireland from the UK and the European mainland.

For rugby fans living in the UK, there's no excuse to stay at home and watch the championship on TV, when it's such a relatively short distance between the host stadiums in London, Cardiff and Edinburgh. And if team coaches are to be believed, this year could see favourites France and Ireland being upstaged by some of the home-grown British competition.



Wales' performances looks set to be particularly noteworthy in 2011, and many fans are already looking into cheap train tickets to Cardiff to get the best deals ahead of time and secure their transport to the Welsh capital during their home matches, held at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.



According to Wales coach Warren Gatland, the team is facing considerable pressure to buck its trend of defeats in 2010 - particularly when the team goes head-to-head with old rivals England. Wales beat Italy in the final match of last year's championship, but the team's fortunes have been less successful since, though hopes are high for their performance on 4th February.



Whichever team you're rooting for in the 2011 Six Nations Championship, don't settle for watching the action at home or down the pub. Get your seat and train tickets early to see some of this year's finest rugby action live and in the flesh, and cheer your team on to victory.