IRELAND LIFT TRIPLE CROWN AFTER THRASHING SCOTLAND 43-21 AT THE AVIVA
Andy Farrell hails Ireland’s "wild" journey as they secure their fourth Triple Crown in five years with a win over Scotland.
Andy Farrell couldn’t hide how proud he was after Ireland’s 43-21 win over Scotland sealed another Triple Crown, their fourth in five years. With the bonus-point victory, Ireland jumped ahead in the Six Nations standings, topping the table at 19 points and putting pressure on France. Now, it’s all down to the game in Paris, where they need England to keep France to two points or less to snag the championship.
But, to be honest, that scoreboard math didn’t kill the mood at Aviva Stadium. Beating Scotland in a blazing Triple Crown decider and lifting the trophy in front of a packed, roaring home crowd – that’s what everyone felt.
Think about how far they came. After that rough opening loss to France, not many saw this coming: four wins on the spin and another finish in the top two. That consistency isn’t easy.
Farrell summed up the group’s journey, too: “It’s been a wild eight weeks. Winning is great, but looking at what we’ve been through – a bunch of new faces, a handful of first Six Nations campaigns, and pushing things right down to the wire for some guys – it means even more. They’ve stuck together and learned a lot. That’s what’ll make us stronger.”
Ireland has now beaten Scotland twelve times in a row, and it’s hard to remember the last time the Scots came to Dublin with genuine optimism; they’ve barely won here since 1998. They gave it a real go, though. Scotland scored three tries and had more of the ball over 23 minutes of possession, but Ireland’s defence was relentless. They made 232 tackles.
“That’s why it feels so good,” Farrell said. “Scotland played really well. They kept coming at us, non-stop, but we were ruthless when it mattered and finished our chances.”
With the scoreline stuck at 26-21 in the 65th minute, Farrell rolled the dice and sent on six players at once: Milne, Kelleher, Bealham, Timoney, Frawley, and Aki. He joked that the only plan was making sure Bundee Aki didn’t get all the cheers to himself.
Bringing on Aki and handing a debut to 24-year-old Darragh Murray meant Farrell used 35 players in this Six Nations campaign more than ever before. Between that and the run of injuries, he got a good look at Ireland’s depth.
He was quick to praise Murray, especially the young lock’s try, charge down, and lineout work. Milne and Tom O’Toole got credit too, with O’Toole putting in 21 tackles in just his second Irish start.
“It’s amazing what he’s done,” Farrell said about O’Toole. “He should be seriously proud. That’s not an easy position to step into, and to handle the scrum the way he did, you could see how much it meant.”
And then there’s Stu McCloskey, who Farrell said should absolutely be in player-of-the-tournament conversations. “Five straight games at that level – that’s big. He’s doing it because the squad is so tight, so connected.”
Farrell also pointed out how well Caelan Doris played, calling it possibly the best of his career, even if Doris interrupted to remind everyone about two penalties, not just one.
Honestly, this whole eight-week stretch meant a lot to the group. Farrell said it best: all he feels is pride.
The noise at Aviva told its own story. After the win at Twickenham earlier in the tournament, the Irish supporters belted out “The Fields of Athenry” late in the game, and fans did it again here when Timoney and Beirne grabbed a turnover near the end. Farrell credited Doris and the team for getting the crowd fired up: "It’s our job to make that happen, and the noise tonight was something else. That’s what we want: everyone in it together."
The team headed upstairs to celebrate. And for once, they found themselves hoping for an England win – strange for an Irish side, but that’s what was on the menu. Doris put it simply: “We are tonight." It’s pretty unusual to cheer for England as an Irishman, but we’ll do it. Have a few beers, enjoy the Triple Crown, and then tune into Paris.”
Ireland has only won 15 Triple Crowns in 143 years, but nine since 2004. The players know how special that is. For the moment, they’re just soaking it in, watching, hoping, and enjoying what they’ve earned.
LAKERS OPEN AS 3.5-POINT UNDERDOGS FOR GAME 6 CLOSEOUT ATTEMPT IN HOUSTON
The Los Angeles Lakers face a pivotal Game 6 in Houston as 3.5-point underdogs, with Luka Doncic still sidelined by injury.
The Los Angeles Lakers are just one win from moving on to the second round, but if you look at the betting lines, you’d never know it.
Even though Kevin Durant is still out for the Rockets, the Action Network has the Lakers as 3.5-point underdogs on the road for Game 6. The moneyline puts LA at +150 and Houston at -180. So, even with the Lakers up 3-2 in the series, Game 6 in Houston still tilts toward the Rockets.
It makes sense, honestly. Houston’s managed two straight elimination wins, including a 99-93 victory in LA in Game 5. Jabari Smith Jr. dropped 22 points, Tari Eason chipped in 18, and Alperen Sengun nearly had a triple-double. The series heads back to the Toyota Centre, and there’s some real momentum on the Rockets’ side.
Now the Lakers get a third shot at closing things out. Austin Reaves is back and healthy, which helps, but Luka Doncic remains out with his hamstring issue. Meanwhile, Houston has pieced together enough offence (and just tough defence) without Durant to turn this into a real fight.
Austin Reaves Is Back
Getting Reaves back is probably the best news the Lakers have had in a while, even if it didn’t stop the Rockets from forcing Game 6.
Reaves came off the bench in Game 5 and scored 22 after missing the last five games of the regular season and the first four playoff games thanks to that oblique injury back in early April. And let’s be real, the Lakers desperately needed another creator to help out LeBron. During the regular season, Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds. His ability to break down defenders, hit open shots, and attack off the dribble adds important structure to their offence, especially late in close games.
But you could tell he wasn’t quite 100% yet. Yes, he scored, but the Lakers still only put up 93 points. They missed a bunch of good looks down the stretch, which let Houston sneak away with the win. LeBron led the way with 25, and DeAndre Ayton had a monster game with 18 points and 17 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough.
Reaves raises the Lakers’ floor. Game 6 will be a big test to see if he can help them reach another level because that’s what they need.
Kevin Durant Is Still Out for Houston
On paper, Durant’s absence should tip things in the Lakers' favour. He led Houston with 26 points per game this season and is one of the best at creating a shot against tough defences. But Houston’s won the last two games without him, and the oddsmakers still make the Rockets the favourites for Game 6.
Why? Depth, energy, and balance. Houston managed to hold LA under 100 in Game 5, forced mistakes, and got some big fourth-quarter plays from Reed Sheppard after the Lakers had clawed back to within three.
So, no, Durant being out isn’t enough. The Lakers still have to break the Rockets' pressure, punish them for helping on LeBron, and avoid the sluggish stretches that killed them in Game 5.
Luka Doncic Update: Still Out
There’s still no timeline for Doncic's return, and that’s the cloud hanging over the Lakers’ playoff run.
He’s dealing with a hamstring injury, hasn’t gotten back to real on-court work, and probably won’t be available for at least the start of the next round if the Lakers get there.
That means LA needs to finish the Rockets as soon as possible. Win Game 6, and you get valuable rest. Lose, and you force a Game 7 in LA, but you’re just adding more wear and tear to LeBron, Reaves, and everyone else while Luka continues to sit.
The Lakers have survived without Doncic before, remember? They jumped out to a 3-0 lead without him and got Reaves back before Houston could fully rally. Getting past Houston without Luka is one thing; making a real run in the West is something else entirely.
Doncic being out shrinks the Lakers’ margin for error. Reaves’ return helps, and Durant’s absence gives them an opening, but the Rockets have already proven they don’t need Durant to win. Oddsmakers are still siding with Houston at home.
Here’s where the Lakers stand: They need to finish this thing in Houston. Otherwise, what’s already a complicated situation could only get messier.
TIMBERWOLVES CONFIRM DONTE DIVINCENZO IS OUT FOR THE SEASON WITH TORN ACHILLES
Anthony Edwards injury update, Donte DiVincenzo torn Achilles, Minnesota Timberwolves injuries, NBA playoff injury news.
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The Minnesota Timberwolves just got hit with some tough news right in the middle of their first-round playoff series. They won Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, 110-96, taking a 3-1 lead, but that win comes with a high cost. Two starters, Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo, both left the game early with serious injuries, and suddenly, the rest of the playoffs feel a lot more uncertain.
The biggest worry is Anthony Edwards. He messed up his left knee late in the first half, landing awkwardly after contesting a shot. He went down right away and needed help getting to the locker room. Tests confirmed what Timberwolves fans feared: Edwards suffered a bone bruise and a hyperextension. There’s some good news here: no ligament damage, but he’s still expected to miss “multiple weeks", according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. That rules him out for the rest of the first round, and maybe even longer.
Edwards wasn’t just the Wolves’ leading scorer; he basically carried them through much of their playoff push. Now, with him out, everybody else has to pick up the slack. The pressure is real, but in Game 4, the team didn’t blink. Ayo Dosunmu came off the bench and dropped a career-high 43 points; it was just the fourth time in NBA history someone had scored 40-plus off the bench in a playoff game. Players like Mike Conley are expected to do even more now, and rotations are going to look pretty different as they scramble to adjust without their star guard.
As if that wasn’t enough, Donte DiVincenzo’s injury makes things even rougher. He went down only 79 seconds into the game. Nobody was near him; he was just chasing his own rebound and ended up tearing his right Achilles tendon. He walked off the court, but soon after, he needed a wheelchair and a splint. The Timberwolves quickly confirmed he’s out for the season.
After the game, Coach Chris Finch sounded gutted. “Completely devastating for Donte. He’s had such a great season. He’s the heart and soul of so many things that we do. You could see the look in his eye when it happened, and you knew. We’ll love him and be there for him.” DiVincenzo has been huge for Minnesota, both shooting from the perimeter and creating havoc on defence.
So now, with two major pieces missing from their backcourt, the Timberwolves are staring down the rest of this series and maybe the playoffs shorthanded. Sure, they showed resilience by winning Game 4 without their main guys, and that 3-1 cushion gives them some breathing room. But this isn’t a minor setback. It’s a test, a big one. Can the rest of these guys keep the ship steady? Game 5 will have a different look, and the pressure’s on for everyone left to step up and keep the season alive.
