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Maths in rugby: tries and conversions

Rugby Maths

Maths in rugby: tries and conversions

Add 5-point tries and 2-point conversions.

Quick answer

In rugby, a try is worth 5 points and a conversion is worth 2 points. You can add these together to find the total score.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to add together 5-point tries and 2-point conversions to find the total rugby score. Success signs:

You can count 5 points for each try
You can count 2 points for each conversion
You can add 5s and 2s to find the total score
You can explain how rugby scoring works

Why this matters

Rugby is a fun sport where teams score points by getting the ball over the goal line (a try) and then kicking the ball through the goal posts (a conversion). Understanding how to add these points helps you follow the game and know which team is winning. You also use this kind of math in everyday life when you count money, add up points in games, or work out how much something costs when you buy more than one.

How it works

When a rugby team scores:

They get 5 points for a try (when they carry or pass the ball over the goal line)
They get 2 more points for a conversion (when they kick the ball through the goal posts)

To find the total score, you add the 5-point tries and the 2-point conversions together.

Examples you can see

Let's look at how this works with some real rugby scores: Example 1:

Team A scores 2 tries
Team A scores 1 conversion
How many points is that?

You can think of this as:

2 tries = 2 × 5 = 10 points
1 conversion = 1 × 2 = 2 points
Total = 10 + 2 = 12 points

Example 2:

Team B scores 3 tries
Team B scores 2 conversions
How many points is that?

You can think of this as:

3 tries = 3 × 5 = 15 points
2 conversions = 2 × 2 = 4 points
Total = 15 + 4 = 19 points

You can also use a table to keep track of the points:

Team	Tries	Conversions	Total Points
Team A	2	1	12
Team B	3	2	19

Try it as a mini adventure

Rugby Score Challenge: The Big Match You are the scorekeeper for a rugby match between two schools. The teams are playing a friendly game. Here's how the game goes: 1st time: Team Red scores a try 2nd time: Team Blue scores a conversion 3rd time: Team Red scores a try 4th time: Team Red scores a conversion 5th time: Team Blue scores a try 6th time: Team Blue scores a conversion Can you work out the total score for each team? Team Red:

1 try = 5 points
1 conversion = 2 points
Total = 5 + 2 = 7 points

Team Blue:

1 try = 5 points
2 conversions = 2 × 2 = 4 points
Total = 5 + 4 = 9 points

Final Score:

Team Red: 7 points
Team Blue: 9 points

Common mistakes

Mistake: Thinking that a try is worth 2 points and a conversion is worth 5 points.
Why it happens: Mixing up the point values.
Fix: Remember: Try = 5 points, Conversion = 2 points.
Mistake: Forgetting to add the points together.
Why it happens: Getting excited about the game and losing track.
Fix: Write down each score as you go, then add them all up.
Mistake: Counting the same try twice.
Why it happens: Not paying attention to which team scored.
Fix: Keep a separate count for each team.

Parent and carer guide

As a parent or carer, you can help your child understand rugby scoring by:

Playing a pretend rugby game at home and using counters or toys to represent tries and conversions
Using a whiteboard or paper to draw the score table together
Asking your child to explain how they would add up the points
Practising with real-life examples like shopping or pocket money to show how adding works
Encouraging your child to count out 5s and 2s with objects like blocks or coins

Five minutes of practice:

Ask your child to pretend they scored 3 tries and 1 conversion in a game
Have them count out 3 groups of 5 counters for the tries
Have them count out 1 group of 2 counters for the conversion
Then add them together to find the total
Ask them to explain their thinking

Practice questions

Team X scores 4 tries and 2 conversions. What is their total score?
Team Y scores 1 try and 3 conversions. What is their total score?
Team Z scores 5 tries and 1 conversion. What is their total score?
Team A scores 2 tries and 4 conversions. What is their total score?
Team B scores 3 tries and 0 conversions. What is their total score?

Answers:

4 tries = 4 × 5 = 20 points. 2 conversions = 2 × 2 = 4 points. Total = 24 points
1 try = 1 × 5 = 5 points. 3 conversions = 3 × 2 = 6 points. Total = 11 points
5 tries = 5 × 5 = 25 points. 1 conversion = 1 × 2 = 2 points. Total = 27 points
2 tries = 2 × 5 = 10 points. 4 conversions = 4 × 2 = 8 points. Total = 18 points
3 tries = 3 × 5 = 15 points. 0 conversions = 0 × 2 = 0 points. Total = 15 points

FAQ

How many points is a try in rugby?

A try is worth 5 points in rugby.

How many points is a conversion in rugby?

A conversion is worth 2 points in rugby.

Can you score more than 5 points in rugby?

Yes! You can score 5 points for a try, and then 2 more points for a conversion, making 7 points total for one scoring play.

What is the highest score in rugby?

The highest score in rugby can be very high, but it depends on how many tries and conversions each team scores. For example, a team could score 10 tries and 5 conversions, which would be 50 + 10 = 60 points.

Do you always get 2 points for a conversion?

Yes, a conversion is always worth 2 points in rugby.