Ireland extract the utmost to safe Six Nations triple crown

Munster’s Conor Murray dived over for a 79th minute attempt off a lineout to safe the bonus level on the Aviva, Ireland’s fourth of the event.

It was a primary Triple Crown since 2018 however the French nonetheless have a primary Six Nations title since their 2010 Grand Slam in their very own fingers, needing a victory over the English at Stade de France to seal the deal.

Regardless of the title final result, Ireland had been full worth for his or her sixth Triple Crown of the Six Nations period, following up bonus-point victories at dwelling to Wales within the opening spherical and away in England seven days in the past with one other on the final day of the championship.

Dan Sheehan and Cian Healy claimed first-half tries with Scotland’s Pierre Schoeman getting Scotland on the scoreboard earlier than the interval. It was the guests’ solely rating – Josh van der Flier and substitute Conor Murray added scores after half-time, the bonus level collected within the final play of the sport as Ireland supporters celebrated a primary trophy received on dwelling soil since 2004.

But this was removed from one-way visitors. Perhaps stirred by Italy’s well-known win over Wales in Cardiff within the opening match of the day, which ended their 36-game shedding streak within the championship, underdogs Scotland began properly in Dublin however did not reap the benefits of the lion’s share of early possession and by no means actually troubled the Irish defence. That allowed the house aspect to develop into the sport and as soon as they did their superior assault was medical the place Scotland’s was not. A superbly positioned 50-22 kick from captain Johnny Sexton gave Ireland a five-metre lineout on 14 minutes and although the ensuing drive from the Irish pack was held up over the road, the stress was fast to be reapplied. A Scotland sort out off the ball noticed James Lowe faucet the penalty after which earn one other when the defence did not retreat the complete 10 metres and Sexton’s kick to the nook led to a different lineout maul, from which hooker Dan Sheehan struck for the opening attempt after 17 minutes, Sexton changing.

Scotland’s inaccuracies had been costing them by way of penalties conceded and Ireland scored their second on a penalty benefit as veteran loosehead prop Cian Healy added one other attempt for the entrance row, ploughing over from short-range for his tenth Test attempt on his 116th look.

Sexton’s conversion put Ireland right into a 14-0 lead with nearly half-hour gone however Scotland hit again earlier than the interval, one other prop, busy loosehead Pierre Schoemann stretching out an extended arm to get his aspect on the scoreboard. Blair Kinghorn, in at fly-half as a shock choice forward of the out of shape Finn Russell, missed the conversion and Ireland went into half-time with a 14-5 lead.

The Scots once more began properly because the second half bought underway and captain Stuart Hogg had an exquisite alternative to drag his aspect again into the competition with Ireland’s defence stretched. The full-back broke down the best wing and had three team-mates on his inside shoulder ready expectantly however Hogg inexplicably held on to the ball and went for attempt himself, just for opposing 15 Hugo Keenan to race throughout and sort out him into contact.

It proved a pricey choice when Ireland really crossed the road on 59 minutes, Josh van der Flier persevering with his wonderful type within the again row with a attempt after sustained Irish stress, with Sexton’s conversion pushing the Irish lead out to 21-5.

A attempt bonus level was the subsequent goal however credit score to Scotland, they stayed within the struggle and spent lengthy stretches within the Irish half solely to fulfill cussed defending from Ireland. The Irish scrum was additionally starting to come back below stress with each substitute entrance rows on the sphere and Scotland used a scrum penalty adopted by ruck aspect entry from substitute hooker Rob Herring to kick to the nook and launch from a five-metre lineout on 72 minutes, solely to blow their probability by going off their toes at a ruck near the tryline.

Yet the clock was ticking down with Ireland within the flawed a part of the sphere and their efforts to make inroads undone by dealing with errors. It was making for a irritating finish to the championship from an Irish perspective earlier than one final push for the bonus level. A penalty on the Scottish 22 noticed Sexton kick for the nook as soon as once more because the Fields of Athenry rang down from the stands with 78 minutes on the clock. The lineout from seven metres out and ensuing maul was completely executed earlier than substitute scrum-half Conor Murray broke away, handed to James Lowe and stayed on the wing’s shoulder to complete the cope with a powerful leg drive to recover from the road.

Scotland misplaced substitute scrum-half Ben White to a yellow card and Sexton missed his conversion with the final kick of the sport nevertheless it had no have an effect on on the result. Job accomplished, 4 tries within the bag, 5 factors on the desk and a major first piece of silverware for the Andy Farrell period, on dwelling soil besides.

IRELAND: H Keenan (J Carbery, 73); M Hansen, G Ringrose, B Aki (R Henshaw, 56), J Lowe; J Sexton – captain, J Gibson-Park (C Murray, 66); C Healy (D Kilcoyne, 51), D Sheehan (Ok Treadwell, 62), T Furlong (F Bealham, 67); T Beirne, I Henderson (R Herring, 62); C Doris, J van der Flier, J Conan (P O’Mahony, 51).

SCOTLAND: S Hogg; D Graham, C Harris (F Russell, 66), S Johnson (M Bennett, 61), Ok Steyn; B Kinghorn, A Price (B White, 61); P Schoeman (A Dell, 73), G Turner (F Brown, 51), Z Fagerson (WP Nel, 55); J Gray, G Gilchrist (S Skinner, 51); R Darge, H Watson, M Fagerson (J Bayliss, 62).

Yellow card: B White 79 

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)