Rugby World Cup pool stage tiebreakers explained
Ever wondered which team goes through from the pool stages when log points or points differential are tied? This guide will help you.
Contrary to popular belief, if two teams land on the same amount of log points at the end of the pool stages, points differential is not the first criteria that determines who goes through.
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With the top two teams from each pool qualifying for the quarter-finals, as it stands, South Africa and Ireland go through from Pool B. Of course there is the penultimate pool game between Ireland and Scotland that could blow things wide open.
A win for Scotland that denies Ireland a losing bonus point (for example, 8-0) would see Ireland knocked out. In this scenario both teams would end on 14 log points, with Ireland having the superior points differential. However, Scotland advance by virtue of being the winners of their head-to-head clash.
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If two teams are tied on log points and they draw their head-to-head fixture, then the team with the best points difference in the pool stages is ranked higher.
In the very unlikely event that this at a deadlock, then the team with the best difference between tries scored and tries conceded in the pool stages is ranked higher.
Here are the qualification criteria for Rugby World Cup pool stage tiebreakers, in order:
- The winner of the match between two tied teams is ranked higher.
- The team with the best points difference in the pool stages is ranked higher.
- The team with the best difference between tries scored and tries conceded in the pool stages is ranked higher.
- The team which has scored the most points in the pool stages is ranked higher.
- The team which has scored the most tries in the pool stages is ranked higher.
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Click here for a Dummy’s guide to all the qualification permutations for the Springboks as it applies to the Rugby World cup quarter-finals.
Ireland will take on Scotland on Saturday the 7th October, kick-off at 21h00.