6 NATIONS 2023 – The 6 Nations Tournament resumes its rights this Saturday at 3:15 p.m. in Cardiff with the clash between Wales and Ireland. The opportunity to recall the instructions for use of the competition, and the few specificities related to it…
It must be admitted, it is sometimes difficult to follow and know the rules of all rugby competitions… The allocation of bonuses, whether offensive or defensive, for example, is different depending on whether you are playing in the Top 14 or in the Champions Cup.
But then what about the 6 Nations Tournament? We are going to answer your questions so that you are on point for the opening of the 2023 edition, this Saturday at 3:15 p.m. with the Wales-Ireland match in Cardiff.
The points scale
If victory still allows you to earn four points in the standings, a draw two points and zero defeat, the bonuses are not the same as in the Top 14. During the 6 Nations Tournament, you “just” have to register four tries to clinch an offensive bonus point. As you will have understood, the two nations can have an offensive bonus point during each encounter.
As for the defensive bonus point, there too we use the operation of the Champions Cup or the Challenge Cup, with the allocation of a bonus point if the defeated team loses by seven points or less. It is thus possible that a nation which loses by seven points or less but which registers four tries adds two points to the general classification of the competition.
Here are all the scenarios:
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Victory with four or more tries scored: 5 points
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Victory with less than four tries scored: 4 points
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Draw with four or more tries scored: 3 points
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Draw with less than four tries scored: 2 points
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Loss of seven points or less, with four or more tries scored: 2 points
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Loss of seven points or less, with less than four tries scored: 1 point
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Loss by more than seven points, with four or more tries scored: 1 point
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Loss of more than seven points, with less than four tries scored: 0 point
The “grand slam” bonus
A nation that wins its five matches and thus achieves the grand slam is awarded a bonus of three points in the final standings. This was the case of France last year, for example. This process makes it possible to avoid any incongruity, and that a team having won all its matches is not first at the end of the Tournament.
The XV of France of Cyril Baille (trophy in hand) had achieved the Grand Slam in 2022.
Imagine, for example, that France wins its five matches without a bonus, the Blues would then have 20 points at the end of the competition. But that England ends with four bonus wins and a bonus loss against France. The XV of the Rose would then have, in the end, 21 points and would be first in front of France. To avoid this, the “grand slam” bonus would add three points to the XV of France, which would thus finish first with 23 points.
The cases of equality
This is a not uncommon case. If two teams are tied in the standings, which criteria prevail? It is first of all the general difference which is taken into account, that is to say the difference between the total of points scored in the competition and the total of points received. If this is still equal between two nations, the number of tries scored throughout the competition (including penalty tries) prevails.
And if the two teams are still not separated, then they are ranked tied in the final standings.
