There have been many changes down the years.
Currently, you get 4 points for a try, 2 points for a conversion or a penalty goal and 1 point for a drop goal.
Before 1981, tries were worth 3 points. Conversions have always been two, penalties used to be 3 before being reduced and drop goals started at 3 before coming down to 2 and, as we have it now, 1.
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There are four ways to score points in the IRB system. The objective of the game of union is to score a try. This is achieved when the ball is touched down with pressure from the players hand on the ball on, or behind, the opposing team's try line. This earns a score of five points. Five points are also awarded for a penalty try, occurring when a defending team commits a TRY stopping foul in front of their own try line.
The referee must have decided that a try scored in the usual manner has been unreasonably denied. After each try scored, the scoring team will nominated a kicker who is given the opportunity to add a further two points by kicking a ground placed ball over the cross bar and between the uprights of the opposing goalposts.
The kick may be taken as far back from the opposing teams posts (but still on the pitch) as the kicker wishes. However, the ball must be kicked from horizontal line from where the try was scored. Penalty tries are awarded under the posts, providing an easy chance to covert the try for the kicker.
Whenever a penalty is awarded to a team, they have the option of attempting to score a penalty goal by place kicking the ball (from where the infringement occurred) over the bar and between the uprights of the goalposts. If successful, the penalty goal is worth three points. The attacking team can opt NOT to kick for a penalty score by choosing to "run the ball". A process requiring an attacking player to touch the ball at the point of infringement with their foot and either run toward the opposing teams try line or pass to another team player for them to advance the play again toward the opposing teams try line. For a strategic play the "kicker" can opt to kick for the touch line as close to the opposing teams try line as is safe to do so. This is to activate a line out (throw in from touch) This is the time an attacking team can put the ball in touch AND receive the throw in.
Three points can also be scored from open play by a dropped goal. This involves a player drop-kicking the ball over the bar and between the uprights of the opposing teams goalposts. The team with the most points scored wins the game.
Try - 4 points, Conversion - 2 points, Penalty Goal - 2 points, Field Goal - 1 point.
Converted try - 7 points
Unconverted try - 5 points
Penalty kick - 3 points
Drop goal - 3 points
2 for a win, 1 for a draw and none for a loss
4 for a try, 2 for a conversion and 1 for a field goal
:)
points are awarded for a try, 2 for a conversion, 3 for a penalty and 3 for a drop-goal