England can still win the Six Nations if results go their way (Image: Getty/Express Sport)
England are dreaming of an unlikely Six Nations triumph after their latest victory, beating Italy 47-24 in front of a packed Twickenham on Sunday. The competition rules mean that the Red Rose can snatch the crown ahead of France, while holders Ireland cannot be ruled out of contention either. The Six Nations is played in a round-robin format, with each team playing each other once and therefore having five fixtures to navigate. Nations receive four points for a win, two points for a draw and walk away empty-handed for a loss. However, bonus points can help shake up the order and keep things interesting in the tournament standings.
How Six Nations bonus points work
Bonus points are given to teams to recognise excellence in their attacking play. They were introduced to reward teams who win by bigger margins, with the prospect of an extra point encouraging teams to chase additional points even if they are losing. Teams competing in the Six Nations will get one point if they score four or more tries in a single match, which is also known as a try bonus. For teams that lose by seven or fewer points, they will be awarded a losing bonus point.
And if one of the teams is successful in winning all five of their matches, they get an extra three points for completing the Grand Slam. That means the victors can take home a maximum of five points for each Six Nations game: four points for a win, and one point for scoring four or more tries. Those on the losing side can earn up to two bonus points if they score four tries and lose by seven or fewer points.
It proved to be a huge helping hand for England in 2024 when they finished above Scotland in the final standings. While Steve Borthwick’s men lost 33-31 to France, their four tries gained them an extra point and the losing margin was below the seven-point mark to land another. As a result, their efforts earned them two points – when a defeat with a higher margin of points would’ve given them zero.
England beat Italy 47-24 to put them in contention for the Six Nations title (Image: Getty)
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How England can win the Six Nations
The seven-time winners currently sit second in the table and trail leaders France by a single point. They will go into the final game of the tournament knowing their fate is out of their hands, but a Six Nations triumph remains a possibility.
The permutations show that England need to outscore France by two points in their final fixture due to the rules regarding points difference. If they finished level on points, France would clinch the title by virtue of having a higher points difference. Les Bleus boast an astonishing tally of +106 points difference, while the Red Rose are currently on +20 – meaning it would take a huge points swing to close the gap.
France have their destiny in their hands while Ireland could still deny both nations (Image: Getty)
But with five points on offer, England know that they can turn the heat on their French rivals if they thrash Wales with a bonus-point win. In the scenario where Borthwick’s side collect the maximum haul, they would need France to draw or lose to be crowned champions.
They can also draw if France lose by more than seven points, but that would turn their attention to Ireland’s result against Italy. A win for Fabien Galthie’s men against Scotland would guarantee them the trophy, even if England take maximum points.