“Scoring tries makes for more exciting rugby, which means more people watching, which encourages more try scoring, which means more people watching…

and so on in a self-perpetuating virtuous circle.”

Some thoughts on how the introduction of the bonus point changed rugby – performance management in action

 

I find the bonus championship points employed in the recent Six Nations rugby competition an ingenious performance management tool.

 

In simple terms, they reward certain behaviours with extra points, meaning teams are encouraged to play more exciting rugby and the crowd gets to see a better match – win/win.

 

For those unfamiliar with rugby, you win points either by kicking the ball over the posts (often from a penalty), or by scoring a try (running the ball over the try line). Choosing to kick gets you fewer points and is less fun to watch, but often puts points on the board. Scoring a try can ultimately get you more points and is better entertainment for the fans, but is much harder to achieve. Consequently, the safer option is to kick for goal rather than risk failing to score a try and coming away with nothing.

 

The problem is, this doesn’t make for entertaining viewing, and has in the past turned people off watching rugby.

 

Bonus points were therefore introduced in 2017 “to encourage attacking play throughout a match, to discourage repetitive goal-kicking, and to reward teams for “coming close” in losing efforts”. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union_bonus_points_system).

 

This has had a powerful effect: Teams are now actively encouraged to score game points through tries rather than just by kicking penalties. This makes for more exciting, attacking rugby, as teams play for the big prize rather than always playing it safe. More exciting rugby means more people watching, which encourages more try scoring, which brings more people watching… and so on in a self-perpetuating virtuous circle.

 

I am interested in this from a performance management perspective. It has long been noted that ‘what you measure is what you get’, and this is a perfect example of that, albeit slightly reworded to ‘what you reward is what you get’. By being rewarded for particular behaviours, teams are nudged towards actively choosing the desired course of action, in this case, “try scoring and an attacking style of play that will deliver more tries and greater rewards for fans and players alike” (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38157831). This makes rugby more fun to watch, which raises its profile and propels it to centre stage – exactly the effect rugby’s governing body was trying to achieve. A simple and effective example of performance management in action. 

 

 

Thanks for reading.