how do you get bonus points in rugby

June 28, 2026

You get bonus points in rugby by either scoring lots of tries or by losing narrowly in competitions that use a “bonus-point” league system.

How Do You Get Bonus Points in Rugby? (Quick Scoop)

Rugby bonus points only matter in leagues and tournaments (like the Six Nations or World Cup pools), not in a single match scoreline. They change the table standings, not the final match result.

The Two Main Ways To Earn Bonus Points

In most modern rugby union competitions, you can usually get up to two bonus points per game.

Try bonus point – for attacking play
- Score 4 or more tries in a match, no matter if you win, lose, or draw.

 * Example: You lose 35–24 but you scored 4 tries; you still grab a try bonus point on the table.

Losing bonus point – for a narrow defeat
- Lose by 7 points or fewer and you get a losing bonus point.

 * Example: Lose 20–16 (margin 4 points) and you earn 1 losing bonus point.

You can combine them:

Lose 28–24, having scored 4 tries.
You get 2 bonus points (one for 4+ tries, one for losing by 7 or fewer).

Typical League Table Scoring (With Bonus Points)

Most bonus‑point systems use something like this.

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Match result</th>
      <th>Tries scored</th>
      <th>Points difference</th>
      <th>Table points earned</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Win</td>
      <td>4+ tries</td>
      <td>Any</td>
      <td>5 (4 for win + 1 bonus)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Win</td>
      <td>0–3 tries</td>
      <td>Any</td>
      <td>4</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Draw</td>
      <td>4+ tries</td>
      <td>Scores level</td>
      <td>3 (2 for draw + 1 bonus)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Draw</td>
      <td>0–3 tries</td>
      <td>Scores level</td>
      <td>2</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Loss</td>
      <td>4+ tries</td>
      <td>Lost by ≤ 7</td>
      <td>2 (2 bonus points)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Loss</td>
      <td>4+ tries</td>
      <td>Lost by ≥ 8</td>
      <td>1 (try bonus only)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Loss</td>
      <td>0–3 tries</td>
      <td>Lost by ≤ 7</td>
      <td>1 (losing bonus only)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Loss</td>
      <td>0–3 tries</td>
      <td>Lost by ≥ 8</td>
      <td>0</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Some specific competitions add extra twists, like 3 extra points for a Grand Slam (winning all 5 games in the Six Nations), but the basic try and losing bonus ideas stay the same.

Why Bonus Points Exist (A Quick Story Angle)

Leagues brought in bonus points to reward attacking rugby and to keep games interesting even when the result looks decided.

Imagine a team is 20 points down with 10 minutes left. The old mindset was “game over, just kick it out.” With bonus points, they’re thinking:

“We’re on 3 tries, one more and we still get something from this.”

“If we can close the gap to within 7, we steal a point even if we lose.”

That keeps fans engaged, pushes teams to keep attacking, and can dramatically shake up the final standings.

Forum-Style Take: What People Debate

On forums and in pundit chat, people often argue about whether bonus points are “fair”:

Some love them because they reward positive play and make late-game tactics more exciting.
Others feel they can distort the table if one team racks up tries against weaker opposition while another wins “ugly” without bonuses.
There are also discussions about tweaking the system further, for example giving extra recognition to exceptional defence, not just attack.

“Remember why bonus points are there — they’re about fan engagement and encouraging positive rugby.”

TL;DR

You get bonus points in rugby by:
- Scoring 4 or more tries (try bonus).

* **Losing by 7 or fewer points** (losing bonus).

In many tournaments you can earn both in the same match, even in defeat.

These points don’t change the match score, only your position on the table.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.