In the Six Nations, teams earn table points for match results plus possible bonus points, and there is an extra Grand Slam bonus that affects the final standings.

Basic match points

  • Win: 4 points.
  • Draw: 2 points.
  • Loss: 0 points.

So if a team simply wins a game without any bonuses, they get 4 points, while a draw gives both sides 2 points each.

Bonus points

Bonus points are there to reward attacking rugby and close games.

  • 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match (try bonus), regardless of win or loss.
  • 1 bonus point for losing by seven points or fewer (losing bonus).
  • A losing team can get both bonus points if they score four or more tries and lose by seven or fewer.

This means:

  • Maximum for a winner in one game: 5 points (4 for win + 1 for four tries).
  • Maximum for a loser: 2 points (try bonus + losing bonus).

Grand Slam bonus

If a team wins all five of their matches (a Grand Slam), they get an extra 3 bonus points on top of their match and try bonuses.

  • This rule was brought in so a Grand Slam team cannot be overtaken by a team that wins four games but racks up lots of bonus points.

Deciding the champion and ties

  • Each team plays five matches in a round‑robin; whoever has the most table points at the end wins the Six Nations.
  • If teams are level on points, tie‑breakers are used, typically in this order:
1. Points difference (points scored minus points conceded).

2. Tries scored.

3. Head‑to‑head result between the tied teams.

4. Very rarely, the title can be shared if still level.

Quick example

  • Team A wins 32–20 and scores 4 tries → 4 (win) + 1 (try bonus) = 5 points.
  • Team B loses 28–24 but scores 4 tries → 1 (try bonus) + 1 (losing bonus) = 2 points.

So even in defeat, a side can keep its tournament hopes alive by collecting bonus points.

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