Six Nations will vote on bonus points plan
The first change to the scoring system of the 15-match annual tournament is in the process of being drawn up. Like the championship itself, the bonus-point mechanism under consideration will be unique. It will not be a straight forward adoption of the method used in World Cups, the Southern Hemisphere’s Rugby Championship or across Europe’s three major Leagues but one tailored as a made-to-measure fit for the Six Nations.
The Rugby Paper understands that special emphasis will be put on away wins as recognition that every other season each of the six countries play only two of their five fixtures at home. France, Ireland and Wales have three away matches next year, England, Scotland and Italy three at home.
“Bonus points have been discussed nearly every year for several years and rejected because of the imbalance of home and away matches,” a leading figure said. “Because of that it wasn’t seen as the right fit for a championship which is not a league but opinions have changed.
“Some stodgy matches last season strengthened the view that bonus points, far from detracting from the Six Nations, would actually enhance it. But we have to be careful to make sure those teams with three away matches are not disadvantaged.”
Away wins are due to be increased in value by an extra point. Safeguards will also be taken to pre-empt the absurdity of one country achieving the Grand Slam and finishing second because another has racked up a stack of bonus points.
Those details will be thrashed out at a chief executives’ meeting next week and then put to the full Six Nations council meeting next month. Their approval will sweep away the two points for a win, one for a draw which has stood since the advent of the Five Nations in 1910.
Instead away wins from next year will be worth as much as six points, provided they are decorated with four or more tries.
Gordon D’Arcy, the former Ireland and Lions centre, claims bonus points “would change the way teams approach the game”.
He believes it will help make the home countries more competitive at World Cups in challenging the Southern Hemisphere.
Referee Nigel Owens argues that bonus points will improve the Six Nations as a spectacle. ‘’The World Cup showed the influence of bonus points,” he said. “Teams went out to score tries.”
PETER JACKSON
