The Six Nations countries are reportedly considering a proposal to include a bonus-points system in future tournaments.
The world's oldest international championship is the only major tournament not to include bonus points for scoring four tries or losing by a margin of seven points or less as in the World Cup and the southern hemisphere's Rugby Championship.
The Six Nations member unions have long resisted change, insisting that the long history and success of the tournament were proof that following modern benchmarks was not necessary.
However, according to the Observer, a consultation paper has been prepared for the six countries to consider bringing the competition in line with world standards.
Under the traditional system teams get two points for a win and one for a draw as opposed to four for a win and two for a draw under the bonus-point method. The bonus system reduces the chances of teams finishing level on points (they are currently separated by points difference) and increases the potential permutations on the last day, which is attractive to commercial partners.
The bonus point system was first introduced in 1995 in New Zealand to encourage attacking play throughout a match and to discourage repetitive goal-kicking.
France's domestic leagues are an exception to the global standard. Instead of a bonus point being awarded for four tries, Top 14 and ProD2 teams must win by scoring at least three more tries than their opponents to earn an extra league point.
Those opposed to the bonus-point system argue that it would make it possible for a team to win the Grand Slam yet finish second in the table if their closest rival claimed maximum bonus points. It would also be possible for a team that was whitewashed to avoid finishing at the bottom of the table.
England are believed to be one of the unions in favour of a debate on the proposal.
"We have resisted the change for the past 10 years, but there is pressure to join the mainstream, not least from commercial partners, because it would potentially increase permutations in the table at the end of the season," an RFU member told The Observer
"But the bottom line is that it is the system that people have become used to."
Comments
Honestpom says...
Bringing in the bonus point would be great. Would love to see a Grand Final introduced as well, the top two nations in the table having a final game against each other to decide the championship perhaps two weeks afer the last round of matches. If that is to short a time to organise it hold it alternatly in the different countries, ie every 6 years at Twickenham for example. The tournament has been a brilliant and spectacular success well over 100 years but that does not mean it can't be even better.
Posted 22:11 06th January 2013
munster30 says...
carpelone
I know that the teams would have played differently if bonus points were available.................thats kinda why i said it in my post........oops
Posted 21:54 06th January 2013
kybone says...
rukrym- I think you've missed the point mate 'a consultation paper has been prepared for the six countries to consider bringing the competition in line with world standards.'- this is what the article is about, not creating an entirely new bonus point system. So thats why people are 'assuming the current 'standard' of 4 pts for a win would be implemented;- because thats what the article is about.
Posted 21:38 06th January 2013
TVaddict says...
No thank you! Its the oldest because it's worked, let's leave it as it is.
Posted 21:14 06th January 2013
carpelone says...
munster30
When you know you can get a bonus point, you behave differently. So it is quite useless to look back.
I suggested this during the last tournament as some of the games turned to be control game, preparing for the next crunch the following week.
But fully open to consider.
Cheers
Posted 19:07 06th January 2013
melkdave says...
@ToAll
Sorry should have explainded myself better lol,im only on board for bonus points for tries ,not for losing by less than 7 ect.So its 3 points if you win and score 4 or more tries.Nowt for losing at all
Posted 18:46 06th January 2013
lawynd says...
@3in4 - would the other nations get 'losing' bonus points for the massive chips that supporters like you carry around on their shoulders? Might even the score somewhat. ;)
@jimbosim - get ready for some arrogance! France and Ireland both put four tries on Italy last year, Ireland also put four on Scotland and there were three games where a side scored three tries. The previous year there were two, 2010 there was one, 2009 there were five...
Posted 18:21 06th January 2013
jimbosim says...
Leave it as it is, why fix something that has not been broken?
There are no easy fixtures in the curret six nations, no team would be stupid or arrogant enough to think they can score 4 tries against another country?
As a nutral fan I would much rather a close, tight end of a game with intensity and drama than a hammering?
Posted 16:30 06th January 2013
munster30 says...
think it would be interesting if PR went back through the years of the Six Nations and drew up new tables with the bonus point system in place for all the results. See if it actually changed the winners and wooden spoons. I know teams would have played differently if bonus points were in place........still would be an indication.
Posted 15:13 06th January 2013
JamieTheProp says...
Or they could leave the best supported, oldest and best tournament alone - it is perfectly good as it is!
Posted 15:02 06th January 2013
jontheref says...
Yes, good comments, over rider is Grand slam gets trphy.
Points come into play if no Grand Slam, or to decide the rest of the table.
Posted 14:41 06th January 2013
rukrym says...
In fact I'm wrong - technically with 6 pts for a win you could still have a Grand Slam winner and another team finishing on 30 pts each (on team picking up 2 bonus points in their only loss). But the simple solution there would be the trophy goes to the Grand Slam team!
Posted 13:22 06th January 2013
LondonWasp says...
3in4
and the point of your comment was.......?
go away
Posted 13:03 06th January 2013
matt223267 says...
i believe 2002, would be a possible example of a team winning a grand slam but not winning the championship if bonus points were used, England won 4 games all with try bonus points and got a losing bp against france. France other victories were closer (not bonus points at least) so they would finish level with Eng winning on trys scored/ points advantage......obvs if there had been actual bonus points to play for france might have pushed harder in some of their games for a 4th try etc
perhaps using this as an example us bp system but then give a team an extra 3 points for a grand slam or something? while i like the idea of more attacking rugby the GS should still be seen as the main prize
Posted 13:00 06th January 2013
rukrym says...
All the people pointing out the possibility of a Grand Slam team finishing second are assuming the current 'standard' of 4 pts for a win would be implemented. However with 6 pts for a win, 3 for a draw, and 1 for losing/try scoring bonus then a Grand Slam would always win the championship while still encouraging attacking play. In the event of no Grand Slam winner bonus points would then potentially come into play. For example two teams both on 4 wins apiece would be differentiated by match points rather than the current points difference system.
Posted 12:52 06th January 2013
3in4 says...
Teams should be awarded bonus points in advance of every match in proportion to their own inflated sense of self-importance. England would win every year.
Posted 12:15 06th January 2013
Iyhel says...
Regarding the possibility of a Grand Slam winner not topping the table, I have serious doubt that it could actually happen - feel free to check back to 1884 if it ever occurred!
And in any case one can just state the following rules: 1/ the winner is the team with the most victories 2/ if two teams have the same number of victories, teams are ranked according to the following points system [...].
Posted 12:09 06th January 2013
Iyhel says...
Once upon a time was a tournament with pride and traditions; it was not that important who would win it, sometimes there were many winners in fact - 2, 3, even 4!
Then came the World Cup, talks of professionalism and a strange idea that a modern tournaments must have only one winner. They even started talking of wooden spoons for the team that would finish last, not the one that would lose all their matches...
So the good ol'times are gone, maybe we can go all the way and eventually have a proper, coherent points system?
Posted 12:00 06th January 2013
rohan1992 says...
I can't think of any league or tournament in the world in which bonus points have stopped an undefeated team claiming the championship, can anybody else? so while it may be mathematically possible to be 'robbed' in his way, the grand slam winners have nothing to worry about, this just encourages teams to play a more attractive style of rugby (which is rare in Europe)
Posted 11:48 06th January 2013
ben7 says...
An example of what "COULD" happen
France: 5 wins, 0 losses, 0 bp = 20pts = grand slam
England: 4 wins, 1 loss, 6 bp = 22pts = win the 6 nations
Posted 11:46 06th January 2013