If tradition mattered shouldn't it still be the 5 nations or even just the home nations?

Wilsbowski

Indeed! a fair point.

To counter Thornley's point though, it would lead to much more open rugby and drive sides to push for more bonus points, so I don't think that using this years really makes sense, or indeed any previous year, however, I think their should be a much more sweeping review of Northern Hemisphere rugby as follows:

(1) Season starts with two five nations tournaments, with Georgia, Romania, Spain and Russia added to the mix. Each side plays each other home and away on 8 consecutive weekends, with 1 up, 1 down at the season end. Try and losing bonuses included

(2) Club season starts two weeks later and plays through the summer concluding in September

(3) Two weeks later autumn internationals complete the season

Radical? Yes! Insane? Possibly Beneficial? Maybe

Indeed, radical, ans with a logical spine to it. Tho Rugby is a Sport played on soft ground, so the summer thing.... Is dangerous. Not to say that stadiums should have a ability to keep the ground in playable condition, but schools rugby on a sun backed pitch in the height of summer, would just leave a bunch of kids injured and a bunch of parents really pee'd off

I like it the way it is.

I don't like losing bonus points, teams can play negative rugby in the hope they pick up a losing bonus point.

If its not broke, don't fix it.

There would be no harm surely in using bonus points as a silver medal, in a separate column that is, and using it rather than points difference which is grossly unfair given the home/away imbalance and weather condition determination. Alternately, perhaps a grandslam should be worth 5 points on its own, which would mean a GS winner could never lose the tournament on bonus points.

We've had some pretty compelling rugby in this 6N without bonus points to be fair.

CobNob.

The point being that this would be a hell of a weekend if there had been bonus points, the top 4 teams would still have a realistic chance of winning the championship thus making it more exciting for the fans.
"If its not broke, don't fix it."
Thats quite simply a matter of perspective. Because there are perfectly valid arguments on both sides. So evidently it may not be broke, but that does not mean you cant make it better.

GG
"We've had some pretty compelling rugby in this 6N without bonus points to be fair."
Again thats perspective, i read an article last week in the paper which stated its been a dull 6n's other than some good halves of rugby, the only exciting game was Eng v Fra. With the perspective Grand Slam champions apparently have not been that good more lucky to be meeting opposition at the right time.

Personally I have quite enjoyed this Championship, after we lost the first game, i have had time to sit back and enjoy the championship with no real expectations of winning anything. So for me its been pretty good.

Don't mind the idea of bonus points, but you should only get a losing bonus point for scoring 3 or more trys.

Wales - 20
England - 18
Ireland - 13
France - 12
Italy - 5
Scotland - 3