How bonus points work in the Six Nations

Teams will look to not only win but acquire bonus points throughout the Six Nations 2025

The Six Nations reaches its finale today with the bonus point system taking centre stage.

Introduced in 2017, the point system helps reward attacking rugby and could prove decisive in the final standings in 2025.

A bonus point can be earned in two ways - if teams score four tries, or if they lose by seven or fewer points. However, the competition format necessitates an extra rule to avoid the potential for a team to win all five games and still lose out on the title to a team that won just four games.

Three more points will be awarded if a team can win every single match in a championship. A grand slam winner would therefore have at least 23 points, an insurmountable total against any other team.

Six Nations points system

Four points are awarded for a win.

Two points are awarded for a draw.

A try bonus point is awarded for scoring four or more tries in a match.

A losing bonus point is awarded for losing by seven or fewer points.

If a team scored four tries in a match and loses by seven points or fewer, they are awarded both bonus points.

Three points are awarded to a team that wins all five of their matches, i.e. a Grand Slam. This prevents a scenario in which a team wins every fixture but misses out on the title due to bonus points.

Are bonus points popular?

The bonus points system attracted criticism ahead of the final weekend of last year’s men’s tournament when a scenario could have panned out that saw Ireland win fewer games than England but take the title. As it happened, Ireland won and England lost on Super Saturday, rendering the conversation moot, but Tom Harrison, the chief executive of the Six Nations, has insisted that bonus points are here to stay.

“Remember why bonus points are there — bonus points are there to promote positive rugby. It’s about fan engagement,” Harrison said. “Also, the players know. It’s not as though we’re saying ‘you’ve played so well, we’re going to award you an extra point afterwards’.

“There were some brilliantly unpredictable results. That’s one of the features of the Six Nations - you genuinely don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ve still got jeopardy. No, I don’t think it will change.”