Rugby · Rules explained
Rugby bonus point system explained
In the standard system used by the Rugby World Cup, the Six Nations and the URC, a win earns 4 table points, a draw 2 and a loss 0, plus 1 bonus point for scoring 4 or more tries and 1 for losing by 7 points or fewer. Bonus points go on the league table; they never change the match score.
How do rugby bonus points work?
| What happens | Table points |
|---|---|
| Win | 4 |
| Draw | 2 |
| Loss | 0 |
| Try bonus: 4 or more tries in the match, whatever the result | +1 |
| Losing bonus: lose by 7 points or fewer | +1 |
This standard system (win 4, draw 2, loss 0, plus the two bonus points) is used in the Rugby World Cup pool stage, the Six Nations and the URC. The two bonuses are separate, so a single match can earn a team anywhere from 0 to 5 table points:
| Match outcome | Table points |
|---|---|
| Win with 4 or more tries | 5, the most from one match |
| Win with 3 tries or fewer | 4 |
| Draw with 4 or more tries | 3 |
| Draw with 3 tries or fewer | 2 |
| Lose by 7 or fewer with 4 or more tries | 2 |
| Lose by 7 or fewer with 3 tries or fewer | 1 |
| Lose by 8 or more with 4 or more tries | 1 |
| Lose by 8 or more with 3 tries or fewer | 0 |
Bonus points only exist on the league table. They never change the match score, and the tries count whether they were converted or not.
Can a losing team get two bonus points?
Yes, under the standard system. A team that scores 4 tries and loses by 7 points or fewer takes both bonuses: 2 table points from a defeat. In this match Away score 4 tries to Home's 3 and still lose, because Home convert every try and kick two penalty goals.
| When | Team | Scoring play | Points | Score | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Home | Penalty goal | +3 | 3–0 | |
| 11 min | Away | Try | +5 | 3–5 | Away try 1. |
| 12 min | Away | Conversion missed | +0 | 3–5 | |
| 20 min | Home | Try | +5 | 8–5 | Home try 1. |
| 21 min | Home | Conversion | +2 | 10–5 | |
| 29 min | Away | Try | +5 | 10–10 | Away try 2. |
| 30 min | Away | Conversion | +2 | 10–12 | |
| 36 min | Home | Try | +5 | 15–12 | Home try 2. |
| 37 min | Home | Conversion | +2 | 17–12 | Half-time: Home lead 17-12. |
| 44 min | Home | Penalty goal | +3 | 20–12 | |
| 52 min | Home | Try | +5 | 25–12 | Home try 3. Home lead by 13. |
| 53 min | Home | Conversion | +2 | 27–12 | |
| 63 min | Away | Try | +5 | 27–17 | Away try 3. |
| 64 min | Away | Conversion | +2 | 27–19 | Away now trail by 8, one point outside the losing bonus. |
| 78 min | Away | Try | +5 | 27–24 | Away try 4: the try bonus point is theirs, win or lose. |
| 79 min | Away | Conversion missed | +0 | 27–24 | Full time: Home win 27-24. Away lose by 3, inside the 7-point losing-bonus margin. |
Table points under the standard system: Home 4 (a win, but only 3 tries). Away 2 (a try bonus and a losing bonus).
Home get 4 table points for the win but no try bonus, since they scored 3 tries. Away get 2, one for the fourth try and one for losing by 3. Before that last try Away trailed by 8 with 3 tries, which is worth nothing on the table, so their last try, even unconverted, earned them two table points.
What is the Six Nations Grand Slam bonus?
The Six Nations has used bonus points since 2017, with one extra rule: a team that wins all 5 of its matches, a Grand Slam, gets 3 more table points. Without it, a team could win every match and still finish behind a team that lost once but collected more try bonuses: 5 wins with no try bonus is 20 points, while 4 bonus-point wins and a close defeat with 4 tries is 22.
With the bonus, a Grand Slam is worth at least 5 × 4 + 3 = 23 points, and no team with a defeat can reach more than 4 × 5 + 2 = 22. The Grand Slam team always tops the table.
Do all rugby competitions use the same bonus points?
No. The standard system is common, but each competition sets its own rules and can change them between seasons, so check the current regulations before you work out a table. The main differences:
| Competition | Try bonus point | Losing bonus point |
|---|---|---|
| Rugby World Cup (pool stage), Six Nations, URC | 4 or more tries | Lose by 7 points or fewer |
| Super Rugby Pacific | At least 3 more tries than the opponent | Lose by 7 points or fewer |
| Top 14 (France) | Win with at least 3 more tries than the opponent (bonus offensif) | Lose by 5 points or fewer (bonus défensif) |
| NRL (rugby league) | None | None |
Under Top 14 rules, Away in the match above would take 1 bonus point instead of 2: the defensive bonus for losing by 3, but no attacking bonus, which only goes to a winning team. Under Super Rugby Pacific rules they would also take 1, the losing bonus, because 4 tries to 3 is only 1 more than Home.
Rugby league keeps it simpler. The NRL has no bonus points at all: a win is worth 2, a draw 1 and a loss 0, and a team with a bye also gets 2.
How the app handles it
The rugby score tracker keeps the match score. It does not award bonus points or run league tables, including the Top 14 attacking and defensive bonuses. With Pro, its match stats show how many of each scoring play each team made, so you can count the tries and check the final margin to work out bonus points yourself.
Questions
How many points do you get for a win in rugby?
4 table points in rugby union competitions that use the standard system, such as the Six Nations and the URC, or 5 with the try bonus point. In the NRL a win is worth 2 and there are no bonus points.
Can you get a bonus point in a draw?
Yes, under the standard system: a draw earns 2 table points, and a team that scored 4 or more tries in it gets 1 more, for 3. The losing bonus only applies to defeats.
Does the Rugby World Cup use bonus points?
Yes, in the pool stage: 4 for a win, 2 for a draw, plus the try bonus for 4 or more tries and the losing bonus for losing by 7 points or fewer. Knockout matches have no table, so bonus points do not apply there.
Is the losing bonus within 7 or within 5 points?
Within 7 in the Rugby World Cup, the Six Nations, the URC and Super Rugby Pacific. A converted try is worth 7, so the losing team was one score from a draw or better. France's Top 14 uses 5 points instead.
Last reviewed September 25, 2026
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