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 ON THE BRINK: LEBRON JAMES ADMITS DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER 3-0 SERIES DEFICIT
"We still have life." LeBron James remains defiant despite a brutal 131-108 loss to OKC at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves just one loss away from elimination after a tough 131-108 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night. Although the Lakers held a halftime lead for the second consecutive game, they again fell apart in the second half, allowing Oklahoma City to cruise to a 3-0 series lead.
LeBron James spoke after the game, highlighting the Thunder’s depth and relentless energy while emphasising that the Lakers still believe they have a chance to push the series further. The Thunder outscored Los Angeles 74-49 after halftime and once more dominated the third quarter, continuing a pattern that has largely defined this series.
“They’re solid from top to bottom,” James said after the game. “And they never take their foot off the gas.”
Oklahoma City converted at a 56 per cent clip and spread the scoring load, even though reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was only 7-of-20 from the field with 23 points. The Thunder’s supporting players reinforced the effort alongside Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Alex Caruso.
LeBron pointed directly to the third quarter as the turning point for Game 3.
“Obviously, the third quarter is where it starts,” he noted. “We lacked the energy and effort, and they dropped over 30 points on us.”
Despite strong first-half performances from Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard, giving Los Angeles a one-point lead at halftime, Oklahoma City seized control right after the break, forcing turnovers and capitalising on easy transition baskets.
“In that third quarter, we couldn’t hit shots,” James admitted. “We defended but didn’t get stops, which let them take control.”
The Lakers were outscored 33-20 in that quarter alone. James managed just one field goal, while Austin Reaves went scoreless in the period.
James finished the night with 19 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, but his shooting was off at 7-for-19, and he posted a minus-24 plus-minus rating.
Los Angeles also turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 30 points for the Thunder. Oklahoma City outscored the Lakers 64-44 in the paint as well.
When pressed about the frustration of falling behind 3-0, James kept his response measured.
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed or angry,” he said. “You’re obviously disappointed being down 3-0, but we still have life. That’s all you can ask for. We have to be much better on Monday.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick backed up James’ take, describing Oklahoma City as an elite team in the NBA.
“They’ve beaten us three straight games,” Redick said. “They’re a really impressive basketball team.”
Redick previously drew comparisons between the Thunder and dominant teams like the 1990s Chicago Bulls and the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors. James acknowledged Oklahoma City’s versatility and depth, which have caused significant matchup problems.
“They have the right personnel to adapt to whatever you throw out there,” James said. “And they stay productive no matter who’s on the floor.”
Even with Gilgeous-Alexander’s uneven scoring, the Thunder have continued to win comfortably. Holmgren’s inside presence has been dominant, and Mitchell once again put up a strong stat line with 24 points and 10 assists.
James wasn’t surprised by the Thunder’s sustained pressure, given their roster makeup.
“You’ve seen them develop over the years,” he said. “They have a lot of players who can do multiple things, and that depth really helps.”
The Lakers are still without Luka Doncic, sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring strain from April, which has hampered their offensive rhythm, especially late in games.
Facing elimination now, James insisted the team’s focus remains squarely on Game 4 rather than any bigger questions about the group’s future.
"No", James said when asked if they considered this might be their last run together. “We’re just concentrating on the moment and moving forward from there.”
Game 4 is set for Monday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will fight to avoid a sweep and keep the series alive before heading back to Oklahoma City.
MAX HOLLOWAY BREAKS SILENCE ON PARAMOUNT REGARDING CONOR MCGREGOR UFC 329 RUMORS
Relive the 13-year history between Holloway and McGregor as the Hawaiian star targets International Fight Week for ultimate revenge.
Max Holloway is hungry for payback against Conor McGregor as rumours swirl about a rematch.
McGregor hasn’t stepped inside the octagon since that quick loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. His last win was way back in 2020 when he steamrolled Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in under a minute. He was supposed to fight Michael Chandler in 2024, but that fell through after he got injured.
Now, at 37, McGregor’s back in training and eyeing a return for UFC 329 on July 11, right as International Fight Week rolls around. Before that, he missed out on a shot at the White House card, so this July date is shaping up to be his next window.
Dana White has flip-flopped a bit on McGregor’s comeback, but now he sounds confident: “It’s looking good. Believe me, you know once we get a deal done with him, we will announce it.” And right now, Holloway looks like the top pick for the fight, 13 years after they first went at it.
Back then, McGregor beat Holloway by decision. Since then, Holloway’s had his own ups and downs; he lost the BMF belt to Charles Oliveira in March and hasn’t fought since. Still, he’s eager to get back, especially if it means a shot at Conor.
Talking to Paramount, Holloway laid it out: “We have history. We fought a long time ago. If someone’s got a win over me, I want that back. If he really is serious about returning, and it looks like he is, then this is an exciting fight. He looks hungry. He even did a boxing exhibition not too long ago, so it looks like he’s really coming back. I just want another shot. Any fight with Conor is huge, but with our past? It means even more. If I can knock a few names off my list, that’s great.”
For now, Holloway hasn’t heard anything official from the UFC about July. "Maybe we'll see what happens,” he said. “I’m seeing all the same talk you are. I haven’t heard anything yet, but July would work for me. They say you’re only as good as your last fight, and I want people to forget about that one as soon as possible.”
