How the winner of the Rugby Championship will be decided in the final match

How the winner of the Rugby Championship will be decided in the final match

The Rugby Championship goes right down to the wire this year with the champions to be decided in the final match in Durban.

The All Blacks are in pole position and are on track to claim their third successive title (including the 2020 Tri Nations).

Their dominant 40-14 victory over Australia in Auckland, gives them a 39 point buffer on points difference between them and South Africa.

The All Blacks finished their tournament up with 19 league points after securing a bonus point win over Australia, which effectively ended Argentina's hopes of a maiden title.

South Africa are the only team that can take the title off of New Zealand.


The Springboks will need a 39-point victory over Argentina paired with a bonus point (scoring three more tries than Los Pumas).

Position on the competition table shall be determined by competition points as set out above:


  1. In the event of two or more teams being equal on competition points for any position on the competition table such position shall be determined by the team with the most wins in the series.
  2. In the event of (a) above not providing a decision, the position on the competition table will be determined by the team with the most wins against the other team/s tied on the same points.
  3. In the event of (b) above not providing a decision, the position on the competition table will be determined on the margin of points scored for and against in the series. The team with the highest margin of points scored for and against being considered as the winner.
  4. In the event of (c) above not providing a decision, the position on the competition table will be determined on the margin of points scored for and against by those competing teams. The team with the highest margin of points scored for and against being considered as the winner.
  5. In the event of (d) above not providing a decision, the position on the competition table will be determined on the basis of the team scoring most tries in the series.
  6. In the event of (e) above not providing a decision, the Series shall be shared between the two teams.

A 40-point victory would see South Africa better New Zealand's +67 points difference but 39 would do the job for Jacques Nienaber's side.

If points difference in the competition does not settle a tie, the results of the two matches between the two sides are taken into account.

If that still does not separate the sides, the points from the two matches are added together. South Africa edge ahead with this having claimed a 26-10 win and lost 23-35 meaning the result over the two tests were 46-35 in favour of the Springboks.

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