In the 2026 Men’s Six Nations, there were an average of just 2.2 penalty goal attempts per match.
Taking a shot at goal has never been less popular than it is today. Teams are opting for more aggressive strategies when awarded a penalty – what are they and why are they favoured?
The pitch map on the left is every penalty goal attempted in the 2026 Men’s Six Nations. The colour indicates the outcome, and size of the circle indicates the difficulty of the kick.
Teams are only opting for a shot at goal when the kicks are relatively easy, or the kick is a direct opportunity to win the match.
Thomas Ramos’ Championship-winning penalty was the hardest successful penalty kick, and still had a probability of over 50%.
Rise of the ‘Tap Pen’
There were more tap penalties taken in the 2026 Men’s Six Nations than in any other year since 2020, a total of 30.
The average yield of a tap penalty was 3.0 points – the same as a penalty goal.
Winning ‘Power Plays’
In the 2026 Six Nations, 150 points were scored during ‘Power Plays’ where one team outnumbered the other – 90% more than in 2023.
Teams are deliberately pressuring referees to give cards because they yield greater opportunities for points.
The graph on the left shows the number of yellow cards conceded in a team’s 22 over the last seven Championships, displaying consistent growth.