How Many Points Is a Try in Rugby?

In rugby union a try is worth 5 points, scored by grounding the ball in the opponent’s in-goal area behind the try line. Scoring a try also earns the team a conversion, a kick at goal worth a further 2 points, so a converted try is worth 7 points in total.

That single fact, five for the try and two for the conversion, is the foundation of the whole rugby scoreboard. But there are other ways to score too, and the codes differ, so here is the complete breakdown of how points work, based on World Rugby’s Laws of the Game.

The five-point try, explained

A try is scored when a player grounds the ball in the opposition’s in-goal area, the zone behind the try line. “Grounding” means either pressing the ball down to the ground with a hand, arm or the front of the torso, or touching it down while it is already on the ground. It is called a “try” for a historical reason: originally it scored no points itself but earned the right to “try” a kick at goal.

Today the try is the most valuable single score in the game at 5 points, and it is also the most exciting, because it rewards a team for actually carrying the ball over the line rather than just kicking.

The conversion: two more points

Every try comes with a bonus opportunity called the conversion. The scoring team takes a kick at goal from a spot in line with where the ball was grounded, back from the try line at any distance the kicker chooses. If the ball sails over the crossbar and between the posts, the team adds 2 points, turning a 5-point try into 7.

Here is the strategic wrinkle: because the conversion is taken in line with where the try was scored, grounding the ball nearer the centre of the posts makes the kick much easier. That is why you often see attackers try to score as close to the middle as possible rather than diving over in the corner.

The other ways to score

Rugby has two more scoring methods, both kicks, and both worth 3 points.

Penalty kick (3 points). When the opposition commits a serious offence, the referee awards a penalty. The attacking team can choose to kick at goal, and if it goes through the posts, they score 3 points. Teams often take this when they are close enough for a reliable kick and want guaranteed points.

Drop goal (3 points). In open play, a player can drop the ball to the ground and kick it just as it bounces (a “drop kick”); if it goes through the posts, that is worth 3 points. Famous matches have been decided by last-minute drop goals.

Full points table (rugby union)

Scoring method	Points	How it happens
Try	5	Grounding the ball in the in-goal area
Conversion	2	Successful kick after a try
Penalty kick	3	Kick at goal after an opposition offence
Drop goal	3	Kick on the half-volley from open play
Converted try (total)	7	Try (5) plus conversion (2)

This is the entire scoring system. Once you know it, any rugby union scoreline can be reverse-engineered: a score of 22, for example, could be three converted tries (21) plus… it can’t be, which is exactly the kind of arithmetic that makes rugby scores fun to read.

Union vs league: the try is worth less in league

A common source of confusion is that rugby has two codes. In rugby union a try is 5 points; in rugby league a try is worth 4 points. The conversion is 2 in both, but many other rules differ entirely. If you are unsure which sport you are watching, the scoring can be a clue, and our full comparison of rugby union vs rugby league covers the differences in depth.

Why the try is the heart of the game

Because a converted try is worth up to 7 points at once, tries are where matches are won and lost. A team can nudge ahead with penalties, but scoring tries is the fastest way to build a decisive lead, which is why so much of rugby tactics, the scrum, the lineout, the phases of attack, is ultimately about manufacturing a chance to cross the line.

To follow the action fully, it helps to know the rest of the game too: our guides to rugby positions and the knock-on rule explain who does what and one of the most common ways an attack breaks down before it can reach the try line.

The short answer, one more time

A try in rugby union is worth 5 points, the conversion adds 2 for a total of 7, and both the penalty kick and the drop goal are worth 3. In rugby league the try drops to 4. Keep those numbers in mind and you will never be lost watching a rugby scoreboard again.