How it works

In the Tri-Nations, each team plays each other team three times, creating an uneasy balance of home and away games (e.g. this year SA plays NZ twice in SA and once in NZ, affording SA an advantage over NZ - though SA must play Aus twice away).

4 log points are earned for a win and 2 for a draw. If a team scores 4 tries, it is awarded a bonus point (BW in our table). And if a team loses by 7 points or less it earns a bonus point (BL).

There is no final, with the Tri-Nations champion being simply the team that amasses the most log points. Any log points ties are broken by looking at season score difference.