New Zealand were the series champions, winning the final tournament in Edinburgh to take the lead on the standings.

In that event, the then-defending series champions Fiji would have clinched the season crown by defeating Wales in the Cup quarterfinals.

Points are awarded in each pool on a different schedule from most rugby tournaments—3 for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 for a loss.

The first tiebreaker is the head-to-head result between the tied teams, followed by difference in points scored during the tournament.

In descending order of prestige, they are the Cup, whose winner is the overall tournament champion, Plate, Bowl and Shield.