Bonus-point rule and last-16 changes for Champions Cup
Summary
The Champions Cup rugby tournament will change its scoring and qualification rules starting in the 2026-27 season. Teams will earn bonus points only if they score at least three tries more than their opponents, and fewer teams will qualify automatically for the knockout stage.Key Facts
- Bonus points for tries will require a team to score three more tries than their opponent, not just four tries in total.
- This bonus point system is already used in France’s Top 14, Super Rugby, and England’s second-tier competition.
- Only the top three teams in each pool will automatically qualify for the last-16 round, instead of four.
- Four additional spots in the last-16 will be filled based on total points earned across all pools.
- Wins will be the main way to break ties in the standings.
- The Champions Cup starts earlier, in October, from next season to attract fans sooner.
- South African teams are considering their future in the competition, but they are expected to compete in 2026-27.
- Organizers have suggested possibly reducing the tournament to 16 teams and holding matches in a single period, though contracts currently lock the format until 2030.
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