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Ireland overcome Scotland to maintain winning start to Six Nations

James Lowe celebrates with teammates Sam Prendergast, Hugo Keenan, Dan Sheehan, Bundee Aki and James Ryan after scoring Ireland’s third try (Image: Ramsey Cardy / Sportsfile via Getty Images)

IRELAND overcame Scotland at Murrayfield 32-18 to maintain their winning start to the 2025 Six Nations.

The victory means Simon Easterby's side are now the only team capable of landing a Grand Slam.

Not only that, but the result keeps Ireland on course to become the first team to win three consecutive tournaments.

Ominously for Wales, France and Italy, man of the match Sam Prendergast says he expects Ireland to get even better.

"It wasn't perfect from us but it was better than last week and we'll keep trying to get better week on week," he said after the game.

Strong start

It took Scotland until the brink of half time to trouble the scoreboard, Duhan van der Merwe acrobatically evading Prendergast to dot down for the hosts.

However, it came after tries from Calvin Nash and Caelan Doris and a penalty from Prendergast — who converted both tries — which handed Ireland a 17-5 lead at the break.

Scotland rallied after the interval with two Blair Kinghorn penalties within 10 minutes of the restart putting the hosts within a converted try of the visitors.

However, as in the game against England last weekend, Ireland upped their game when needed.

Ireland’s Sam Prendergast in action against Huw Jones of Scotland during Sunday’s Six Nations clash at Murrayfield (Image: David Fitzgerald / Sportsfile via Getty Images)

By the hour mark, tries from James Lowe and replacement Jack Conan had secured Ireland a bonus point as they surged into a 29-11 lead.

Prendergast extended the advantage with a penalty before Scotland added a third try late on through Ben White.

But as with England's belated rally in Dublin last weekend, it proved too little, too late as Ireland ran out winners, 32-18.

'Character'

"It was an unbelievable game and a savage atmosphere," Prendergast added afterwards.

"I couldn't really believe it when the anthems were being sung, I was trying to just focus on the task in hand but it was pretty special.

"I thought we started unbelievably in the game, we put so much pressure on. It wasn't perfect but we just kept piling on.

"I thought we did really well in the second half when they got their purple patch to then come back and I think that shows a good bit of character from us."

Elsewhere this weekend, England defeated France 26-25 at Twickenham courtesy of a last-gasp converted Elliot Daly try.

Meanwhile, Wales' woes continued with a 22-15 defeat to Italy in Rome.

There is no let up for Warren Gatland as the former Ireland coach takes his players to Dublin in two weeks' time, while England host Scotland and France travel to Italy.