Rugby union bonus points system
group tournament ranking system
Bonus points are extra league points awarded in rugby union competitions, in addition to the points for winning or drawing a match.
Systems
The most common point system is:
4 points for winning a match
2 points for drawing a match
0 points for losing a match
1 losing bonus point for losing by 7 points (or fewer)
1 try bonus point for scoring (at least) 4 tries, regardless of the outcome.
In this system, winning teams get 4 or 5 points; drawing teams 2 or 3 points; and losing teams between 0 and 2 points.
This format was created for New Zealand's National Provincial Championship, in 1995 and subsequently adopted in the inaugural Super 12 in 1996. It was first used at the Rugby World Cup in 2003, and has been the staple for international and club competition since.
France
The French professional league, Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), uses a similar system in its two competitions, the Top 14 and Rugby Pro D2. After trialling the system in 2007–08, LNR adopted the new system permanently.
The French system awards points:
4 points for a win.
2 points for a draw.
1 "bonus" point for winning while scoring at least 3 more tries than the opponent.
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