Four Nations points tweak

SOUTH Africa‚ New Zealand‚ Australia and Argentina Rugby (Sanzaar) said yesterday the body’s flagship tournament‚ the Four Nations, would adopt a new bonus point-scoring system.

The series‚ which features the All Blacks‚ Wallabies‚ Springboks and Pumas‚ will adopt the same system used in the Super Rugby tournament this year.

Instead of being awarded a bonus point for scoring four tries‚ a team will need to score three more tries than their opponents to earn a try-scoring bonus point.

Securing a bonus point for losing by seven or less points remains the same.

It’s a system Sanzaar claims has been successful in ensuring more competitive matches in Super Rugby this year. Anecdotal evidence bears this assertion out.

“It has created competition for the full 80 minutes and is providing a reward system that recognises . . . attack and defence,” chief executive Andy Marinos said.

After 108 Super Rugby matches so far this season‚ 669 tries have been scored at an average of 6.2 tries a game.

At the same stage last year after 92 matches (there were only 15 teams last season, therefore fewer matches) 443 tries were scored at an average per game of 4.8 tries.

This season has seen an increase of 1.4 tries a match‚ but this is a simplistic comparison because it does not consider variables such as the diluted strength of the competition.

The introduction of the Sunwolves‚ Jaguares and Kings has thinned out playing resources and created more one-sided matches.

Sanzaar confirmed that Twickenham would host a Four Nations game for the first time.

This is a nominated home match for Argentina. The Pumas will play their other home matches in Salta and Buenos Aires.

The Twickenham match will be the final game of the series, and could have a huge bearing on its outcome.