The Six Nations Council today announced the introduction of a bonus points system across the RBS 6 Nations, The Women’s Six Nations and the Under 20s Six Nations Championships.
In line with similar systems in use in many competitions, it is designed to encourage attacking play and rewards teams with a point for scoring 4 tries or more, and/or losing by less than 7 points.
While it might seem like Scotland (and Italy) would be targeted for bonus point wins by other teams, the way Vern Cotter has Scotland both scoring tries and either winning or losing by narrow margins should give fans hope for encouragement that the system will help Scotland, who play with a positive mindset.
There is one non-standard extra rule designed to avoid teams winning a Grand Slam but losing the Championships due to other teams scoring more tries: win all 5 of your matches and an extra 3 points are awarded.
This system will be implemented on a trial basis in all three Championships in 2017 and will be reviewed post Championships.
Competition points will be awarded in all matches on the following basis:
- The Union that wins the Match shall be awarded four Match Points or (if it scores four tries or more in the process) five Match Points.
- The Union that loses the Match shall be awarded no Match Points or (if it scores four tries or more in the process or loses by a margin of seven points or fewer) one Match Point or (if it scores four tries or more in the process and loses by a margin of seven points or fewer) two Match Points.
- Unions that draw a Match shall each be awarded two Match Points and any of them that scores four tries or more in the process shall be awarded a further one Match Point.
- A Union that wins all five of its Matches (a “Grand Slam”) shall be awarded a further three Match Points.