The battle for Six Nations 2023 glory looks set to be a fierce one this year and ahead of the tournament starting this weekend, we have taken a closer look at the points system used.
Steve Borthwick will be hoping for a successful start following his appointment as England's head coach and the Red Rose are 8/1 To Win Outright, while reigning champions France are 4/1 to triumph.
Ireland are the 3/1 favourites to claim the spoils for the first time since 2018, while Wales are 33/1, Scotland are a 66/1 chance and Italy are the rank outsiders at 2000/1.
We have taken an in-depth look at the points system so you have all the information required ahead of the tournament.
Match result points system
Any team that wins a Six Nations match will be awarded with four points, that is the guaranteed amount for a victory, while a draw will see both sides earn two points and a defeat offers nothing.
Bonus points available
If a team rack up four or more tries they are awarded a bonus point, while an extra point is also handed out if a side loses by seven points or less.
Both bonus points are awarded if a team meets both of the criteria above, meaning they need to have crossed the whitewash four or more times and also lost the contest by seven points or less.
There are also three bonus points given out to the team that wins all five of their matches, which is also known as the Grand Slam.
This ensures that the Grand Slam-winning side would be guaranteed to top the table with at least 23 points.
France won Six Nations 2022 with a total of 25 points. They won all five of their matches, earning them the three extra points for the Grand Slam, while two of their victories saw them awarded extra points for crossing the whitewash four or more times.
Ireland managed to earn four bonus points for tries throughout the tournament - the most of any side - but their one defeat proved to be crucial as they finished second in the table.
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How much is a try worth?
A try is worth five points. There is the opportunity to boost this to seven points after each try, with a successful conversion adding two points to the total.
A conversion is where a player, usually the fly-half, attempts to kick the ball through the posts.
What is a penalty worth?
Having a good kicker in your team can often prove crucial given how important being able to successfully kick penalties can be.
A successful penalty is worth three points and it is no surprise to see that the top five players in the all-time Six Nations points category played fly-half, with Irishman Ronan O'Gara top of the pile with 557.
