Champions Cup changes bonus-point rule and last-16 qualification

The Champions Cup is changing how try bonus points are awarded: teams will now need to score at least three more tries than their opponents, rather than reaching a fixed four-try mark. The last-16 route is also being revised, with fewer automatic qualifiers from each pool.

Under the new knockout qualification model, the top three sides in each of the four pools will advance automatically. The remaining four last-16 places will be decided by table points, with wins used as the main tiebreaker.

The bonus-point shift appears designed to keep matches meaningful deeper into the final quarter, especially when one side has already built a strong lead. Similar try-difference approaches are already used in competitions including France’s Top 14 and Super Rugby.

The tournament is also set to begin in October rather than December next season. That move comes amid wider debate over the Champions Cup’s current 24-team shape, travel demands, pool structure and the future role of South African clubs, although major format changes remain subject to stakeholder approval and existing agreements running to 2030.