Six Nations bonus point system in 2017

thomond2006

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/six-nations-to-introduce-unique-bonus-point-system-in-2017-35256866.html

Competition points will be awarded in all matches on the following basis:
The Union that wins the Match shall be awarded four Match Points or (if it scores four tries or more in the process) five Match Points.
The Union that loses the Match shall be awarded no Match Points or (if it scores four tries or more in the process or loses by a margin of seven points or fewer) one Match Point or (if it scores four tries or more in the process and loses by a margin of seven points or fewer) two Match Points.
Unions that draw a Match shall each be awarded two Match Points and any of them that scores four tries or more in the process shall be awarded a further one Match Point.
A Union that wins all five of its Matches (a "Grand Slam”) shall be awarded a further three Match Points.

If it ain't broke, fix it?

wp_rathead

BPs are great when a) home and away fixtures or b) neutral venue

Rather unfair when some teams be playing at home twice and away 3 times, while other way around for other teams

thomond2006

"It is important for us to ensure that any bonus point system which is implemented would not, in any way, take away from this unique dynamic. At the same time, we are also conscious that we must reward try scoring and an attacking style of play that will deliver more tries and greater rewards for fans and players alike.

Points difference already rewards an attacking style of play.

The only difference is you eliminate the possibility of a title win due to a team putting up a cricket score in one match while having small margins in others.

awec

This is dumb without home and away fixtures.

.ak

FFS this won't work, there's no return leg in this championship. This will revert back in 2018, no doubt.

aloooof

Looks like that last point:
"A Union that wins all five of its Matches (a "Grand Slam”) shall be awarded a further three Match Points."
is to prevent a team winning a slam but potentially finishing on fewer points than another team.

I'm not sure I'm a fan of bringing in bonus points at all....

thomond2006

I wouldn't mind seeing a move to a tournament over two years with home and away fixtures. Then bonus points make sense and there's a carrot of a Grand Slam over two years which would be a phenomenal achievement.

Buer

The Rugby Championship/Tri-Nations has done it multiple times with uneven home/away fixtures without issues.

I'm happy enough to see it trialled anyway before we call for it to be scrapped.

death1234567

thomond2006 wrote: »

If it ain't broke, fix it?

+1. Team's already know how important points difference is and try to run up the score as much as possible.

irishbucsfan

Don't knock it until we've tried it I guess

awec

Going to be incredibly difficult for Ireland to win a six nations in the years they have France and England at home now.

Buer

.ak wrote: »

FFS this won't work, there's no return leg in this championship. This will revert back in 2018, no doubt.

There was an uneven number of games in the Tri Nations for multiple seasons with one team playing another twice away and once at home.

In RWC seasons, there's no home and away either.

Lets at least see how it pans out. The competition could do with a little shake up. We've had some thrilling days but there have been some utterly dour kick fests too where it's an automatic decision to point at the posts.

aloooof

awec wrote: »

Going to be incredibly difficult for Ireland to win a six nations in the years they have France and England at home now.

Agreed. Theoretically easier in the years we have them away tho?

Dave_The_Sheep

I wonder when the coaches\heads of rugby\whatever were told, and if it'll affect their approach in terms of who they might have blooded during Autumn games, etc.

Assuming anything changes at all in their approach, that is.

wp_rathead

Buer wrote: »

The Rugby Championship/Tri-Nations has done it multiple times with uneven home/away fixtures without issues.

I'm happy enough to see it trialled anyway before we call for it to be scrapped.

Has it? In rugby championship they play 6 games, home and away against each team once

In Tri Nations I think they'd play home and away and then have 1 extra home and 1 extra away game against a side, ie NZ play Australia away and then SA home, Australia play SA away and NZ home, SA play NZ away and Australia home - so was still 3 home 3 away (could be mistaken)

irishbucsfan

A few people out there on twitter haven't quite done the maths before jumping to the auld "you could win the grand slam and not win the championship"...

I don't personally think it's a great idea, but let's see how it goes. Of course I've never been wrong about anything in my life but Chicago taught me anything can happen.

Risteard

What a shame.

Shefwedfan

They had to change it from a marketing point of view. They are not able to currently sell the 6 nations to the southern Hemp. This is a huge market they are losing. The 4 nations are able to sell to northern hemp so they are happy

They are trying to push the teams into a more attacking style of play to try and get more running rugby and make the 6 nations more atractive to sell to other countries.

Will it work? No idea. The biggest problem is the time of year when the competition is played, a pissing wet day in Feb will never see a running game of rugby.

lunarhog

has anyone ever rejigged the final table over last number of seasons if bonus points had been in play?

Buer

wp_rathead wrote: »

Has it? In rugby championship they play 6 games, home and away against each team once

In Tri Nations I think they'd play home and away and then have 1 extra home and 1 extra away game against a side, ie NZ play Australia away and then SA home, Australia play SA away and NZ home, SA play NZ away and Australia home - so was still 3 home 3 away (could be mistaken)

It was but if one of the nations was weaker it would be advantageous for a country to have them at home twice.

Also, in a RWC year they just play 3 games as they did last year. Australia won the tournament with two tight wins at home to NZ and SA before getting their one handy away game to Argentina.

They just get on with it. It's not ideal but it balances out and it makes for more enjoyable matches.

Shefwedfan

lunarhog wrote: »

has anyone ever rejigged the final table over last number of seasons if bonus points had been in play?

This was done on a previous thread, I think Ireland where the biggest losers and england would have won a couple of our 6 nations

It is a pointless exercise anyway, Joe played a specific way to win the championship and this was based on how the points system rewarded a team. If they got more points for more tries I am sure he would change the system to reflect that

Podge_irl

Shefwedfan wrote: »

They had to change it from a marketing point of view. They are not able to currently sell the 6 nations to the southern Hemp. This is a huge market they are losing. The 4 nations are able to sell to northern hemp so they are happy

I don't think an inability to sell it in the SH has anything to do with bonus points. Nor for that matter do I think the NH overly care about the Rugby Championship.

Anyway, absolutely hate the idea but I suppose we should see how it works itself out.

aloooof

Shefwedfan wrote: »

This was done on a previous thread, I think Ireland where the biggest losers and england would have won a couple of our 6 nations

It is a pointless exercise anyway, Joe played a specific way to win the championship and this was based on how the points system rewarded a team. If they got more points for more tries I am sure he would change the system to reflect that

Agree with this, case in point being 2015 when we have to put up a score.

Richard Hillman

It's a load of beeswax. Conditions are extremely variable in our part of Europe between early February and late March.

Murrayfield in February in driving rain is a lot different to Murrayfield in late March. The 6N isn't a level playing field as it is with the difference between home and away fixtures but it is accepted because it works on a rota basis. Now with the weather, it completely throws up a disadvantage.

Then there is the Wales question. Wales will never play with the roof open again. Why would they? They want perfect conditions for every game. Except if there is a title decider when a team arrives in Cardiff in terrible weather and needing 5 points and Wales only need 4. No guesses needed for if the roof will be open or closed then.

It is ridiculous. If we had our championship during the summer I could somewhat accept it but not in February and March.

Buer

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Will it work? No idea. The biggest problem is the time of year when the competition is played, a pissing wet day in Feb will never see a running game of rugby.

There have been plenty of dry days or games under the closed roof in Cardiff where teams have had little interest in running it either.

The rugby being played has been becoming less exciting over the past decade with some notable exceptions. We had results last year like 15-9, 16-16, 10-9, 19-10 and 21-10. It seems teams only open up and go for it on the final day when they realise points difference could be a deciding factor on where they finish.

Miley Byrne

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Then there is the Wales question. Wales will never play with the roof open again. Why would they? They want perfect conditions for every game. Except if there is a title decider when a team arrives in Cardiff in terrible weather and needing 5 points and Wales only need 4. No guesses needed for if the roof will be open or closed then. .

I thought both Unions had to be in agreement to close the roof, if no agreement, then the roof stays open?

LeinsterDub

This has been suggested for years. I can't see the harm in giving it a go. At least it will keep games entertaining for longer.

thomond2006

"LeinsterDub wrote: »

At least it will keep games entertaining for longer.

The Top14 version of 3 tries more than the opposition would be better for this.

WeleaseWoderick

Really not happy about this at all. It will completely unbalance the competition with the lack of home & away fixtures.

Placing more value on say beating Italy at home with 4 tries over beating England away by a point doesn't sit well with me at all.

lunarhog

I think it will be a good idea and is definitely worth trying, we need to play a more expansive game in the 6N to get used to it and avoid the embarrassing scenario of all SH semi in the world cup again. People may moan about imbalance in home/away fixtures, weather etc but everything should even out over time.  I for one am embracing this change

lunarhog

good news for Ireland, England and Scotland for the way they are all playing now.  Maybe not so good for the rest, could be the death of Warrenball !!