Six Nations: Ireland impresses, France steamrolls Wales and Scotland survives in Round 1

LONDON (AP) — The Six Nations opened to expectations.

Ireland began its three-peat bid by blowing away England during 30-plus minutes of controlled aggression in the second half in Dublin for a 27-22 comeback win.

France steamrolled hapless Wales 43-0 with another maestro display from captain Antoine Dupont.

A nervous Scotland withstood an Italy comeback 31-19 thanks to Huw Jones’ hat trick of tries.

Here's the AP's takeaways from the first round.

Ireland and France have dominated the championship since 2022 and nothing in the first round suggested that will change. Although it's not a two-team race, yet. A Scotland side supposedly in its prime lies in wait for the Irish on Sunday at Murrayfield. But Scotland has to overcome the mental hurdle of losing its last 10 contests to Ireland and a mental slump that allowed Italy to rally and tie the score going into their last quarter last weekend. The rumors of Ireland's demise have not been greatly exaggerated but the Irish team shelved its decay in the autumn tests with a mightily impressive 22-point, three-try flex of power that overran an England squad which was ultimately flattered by the final score. England has another chance on Saturday at Twickenham to challenge the status quo when France visits, but Dupont's imperious talent is inspiring the French despite injuries to six front-line players and an expected suspension for red-carded flyhalf Romain Ntamack.

Losses for Italy and Wales confirmed their match on Saturday afternoon in Rome will likely determine who will be left with the wooden spoon. Wales gave no indication in Paris last Friday that it won't retain it. The injection of experience from Liam Williams, Dafydd Jenkins and Josh Adams was expected to make Wales' novice team more competitive but that wasn't the case. Game-ending injuries to Aaron Wainwright and Owen Watkin in the first 27 minutes didn't help. Wales was comfortably contained by a French team that scored seven tries without getting out of third gear. Wales' attack lacks line-breakers and imagination. Italy's only try against Scotland was from an intercept but, as has become customary, it doggedly stayed in the contest. Italy had momentum at 19-19 going into the last quarter and lost it to an incredible 70-meter break-out try by Scotland.

It's far too early to be picking the best player of this Six Nations but Dupont laid a claim to a record fourth award with his opening night performance. His cross-field kick led to France's first try, his break off a ruck and sidestep led to France's third try, and his lob pass from the base of a close-range ruck set up France's fourth try. That was all in the first half. He's the only player in the Six Nations era to assist on three tries in more than one game, according to statistician Opta. When he was replaced in the 50th minute at 28-0 to rest up for the England match this weekend, both sets of fans applauded him.

The relief and joy was obvious at fulltime in the Ireland coaches box at Aviva Stadium. There were high fives, hugs and handshakes all round. The victory over England reassured Ireland fans that Simon Easterby, who has the keys to the defending two-time champions, isn’t going to drive them into a wall while Andy Farrell is focused on the British and Irish Lions. After 67 caps as a flanker for Ireland and the Lions and 11 years in the backroom, Easterby is low key and deeply respected. But even his heart must have been pounding at halftime with England ahead. In the end, all of his big calls — notably flyhalf Sam Prendergast starting ahead of Jack Crowley — and substitutions paid off. Asked afterward by Virgin Media Sport if he was proud of his test coaching debut, Easterby typically deflected the question. “It's not really about me is it?" he said. "It's more about what the team have done today in the first round of the Six Nations and it's important that we got the five points.”

Plenty of players who haven't been Lions thrust themselves into the spotlight. At Murrayfield, outside center Huw Jones notched his first test hat trick and flanker Rory Darge was his usual busy self. Another flanker, Jac Morgan, was easily Wales' best, while England's Tom Curry, a three-test Lion starting with his twin Ben for the first time, earned three turnovers off the Irish. Ireland scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park was voted player of the match in Dublin but it was another Lion-in-waiting who really shone, winger James Lowe. A calf issue prevented him from playing for two months until last weekend, when he proved his fitness with Leinster. For Ireland, Lowe was on fire. He's not a speedster but his strength and agility to break tackles and make the last pass set up three of Ireland's four tries. He rarely has a quiet game.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Ireland's interim coach Simon Easterby watches as his team warms-up before the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park scores his side's first try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

England's Tom Curry crosses the line to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Scotland's Rory Darge scores the opening try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Scotland and Italy, at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Italy's Juan Ignacio Brex (centre) after scoring a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Scotland and Italy, at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Scotland's Huw Jones on his way to scoring his third try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Scotland and Italy, at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Ireland's James Lowe, right, breaks the tackle of England's Alex Mitchell during the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

France's Antoine Dupont, right, tries to get to the line during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Wales at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court began hearing arguments Monday about the sentencing of democracy advocate and onetime-media magnate Jimmy Lai and his co-defendants, whose convictions under a national security law could land them in prison for life.

Lai, 78, is the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper and an outspoken critic of China’s ruling Communist Party. He was arrested in 2020 under the law imposed by Beijing following massive anti-government protests that rocked Hong Kong the year before.

In December, he was found guilty of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious articles.

His conviction raised concerns about the curtailing of press freedom in the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

His case could also be a test for Beijing's diplomatic ties. The verdict drew criticism from foreign governments, including the U.S. and Britain. After the verdict, U.S. President Donald Trump, who had raised Lai’s case with China, said he felt “so badly.”

Lai, alongside other co-defendants involved in the case, appeared in court for the four-day mitigation hearings. The maximum penalty for their convictions is life imprisonment. Sentencing will come later.

The court Monday morning heard arguments concerning two activists’ sentences. Lawyers representing them suggested the starting points of their clients’ sentences should be 10 years and 10 to 15 years respectively, but they should receive reductions in part due to their assistance in the case.

Lai’s lawyer Robert Pang will deliver his arguments in the afternoon.

When Lai entered the courtroom, he pressed his palms together, an apparent gesture to express gratitude, and smiled at those sitting in the gallery. The media tycoon appeared to be in good spirits and greeted a convicted Apple Daily editor who was also sitting in the dock.

In August, his lawyers told the court that he suffered from heart palpitations. Hong Kong’s government said no abnormalities were found in a subsequent medical exam.

Prosecutor Anthony Chau said Lai’s health was stable. Chau said Lai had lost just 0.8 kg (about 1.8 pounds) over five years of detention, weighing 79.2 kg (about 175 pounds) when it was last measured this month. Lai is still considered obese as an Asian adult, Chau said. The obesity comment drew chuckling from some members sitting in the public gallery, and Lai also smiled in the dock.

Before sunrise, dozens of people had already lined up outside the court building to secure a seat in the public gallery. Retiree Simon Ng, a former Apple Daily reader, said he arrived and waited in line since Friday morning, hoping to see Lai.

“I want to let him know that he’s not alone," Ng said. “Many people support him."

Lai was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security, in addition to one count of conspiracy to distribute seditious publications. Lai pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A conviction on the collusion charge under the security law results in a sentence ranging from three years in jail to life, depending on the offense’s nature and his role in it. The sedition charge under a separate, colonial-era law carries a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.

Three government-vetted judges wrote in their December verdict that Lai spearheaded the conspiracies and took issue with what they called his “constant invitation” to the United States to bring down the Chinese government with the excuse of helping Hong Kongers.

Lai’s lawyers admitted during the trial that he had called for foreign sanctions before the national security law took effect, but insisted he dropped these calls to comply with the law. They also argued on freedom of expression grounds.

But the judges said that Lai had never wavered in his intention to destabilize the ruling Chinese Communist Party. After the enactment of the law, he intended to continue, though less explicitly, they said. They emphasized that Lai was not on trial for his political views.

Beijing has opposed what it called the smearing of Hong Kong's judiciary “by certain countries,” saying the judicial authorities perform duties according to the law.

Six ex-Apple Daily senior executives and two activists involved in Lai's case had entered guilty pleas, admitting that they had conspired with Lai and others to request foreign forces to impose sanctions, blockades or engage in other hostile activities.

The executives were publisher Cheung Kim-hung, associate publisher Chan Pui-man, editor-in-chief Ryan Law, executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung and editorial writers Fung Wai-kong and Yeung Ching-kee. Some of them, alongside the two activists Andy Li and Chan Tsz-wah, served as prosecution witnesses during the 156-day trial.

A guilty plea usually can lead to a sentence reduction. Under the security law, a reduced penalty may be granted to those who report on the offense committed by others.

Chan Pui man's husband, Chung Pui-kuen, a former top editor of Stand News who had been sentenced to 21 months in jail in a separate sedition case, was among those sitting in the public gallery.

After the verdict, Lai's daughter, Claire, said Lai would devote himself to God and his family rather than political activism if he were released.

Trump said after the verdict that he spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping about Lai and “asked to consider his release." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said his government has made it a priority to secure the release of Lai, a British citizen.

People line up behind the barricades to attend the hearing about the upcoming sentence for pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, outside the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Correctional Services Department vehicles arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, ahead of a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of democracy advocate and onetime media magnate Jimmy Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Members of foreign councils arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts to attend a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Robert Pang, center, lawyer for pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai arrives to the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, ahead of a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Teresa Lai, wife of pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai arrives to the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts to attend a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of Jimmy Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

FILE- Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai is escorted by Correctional Services officers to get on a prison van before appearing in a court in Hong Kong, Dec. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)