Ireland beats Scotland 32-18 in Six Nations to take huge step to unprecedented third straight title

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) — Ireland took a huge step toward an unprecedented third straight Six Nations title on Sunday by securing a bonus-point 32-18 win at Scotland, which lost two key players in the first half to a nasty clash of heads at Murrayfield.

The Irish backed up an opening-round victory over England and leads on a maximum 10 points — having met two of their toughest opponents already.

With a trip to rock-bottom Wales next in two weeks and a closing match at Italy, only France — in Dublin in Round 4 — might be able to stop Ireland winning a third successive outright title. That hasn't been achieved in the 142-year history of the tournament, which started out as a contest between the home unions of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland before France was added in 1910 to make it a Five Nations and Italy joined in 2000 for the modern-day Six Nations.

Ireland scored tries through Calvin Nash and Caelan Doris to lead 17-5 at halftime, by which time Scotland had seen winger Darcy Graham and star flyhalf Finn Russell forced off after crashing into each other head first attempting to tackle Ireland scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park. Russell didn't come back out after a Head Injury Assessment while Graham was carried off on a cart and was also replaced

Scotland winger Duhan van der Merwe — who was sent to the sin-bin in the 14th minute — dotted down spectacularly in the last move of the first half and two penalties by Blair Kinghorn trimmed the gap to 17-11.

Ireland pulled away again, though, thanks to tries by winger James Lowe and replacement forward Jack Conan just before the hour mark.

Ireland flyhalf Sam Prendergast kicked three conversions and two penalties for a 12-point haul while Ben White grabbed Scotland's late second try.

“We set out at the beginning of this championship to keep getting better, keep challenging each other in terms of the standards, and I think we’ve seen some of that today,” said Simon Easterby, who is filling in as Ireland's head coach with Andy Farrell on a sabbatical with the British and Irish Lions.

“There is an opportunity (of a Grand Slam), which has been well documented. We’ve got to make sure that we prepare in the right way for Wales and go there with the same mindset that we came here with.”

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend said he hoped Russell would be available for the Round 3 game against England and was waiting for the results of scans on Graham.

“I believe there are no issues around his neck, but it’s more just seeing where the concussion has come from," Townsend said. “I’m just hoping there are no broken bones around the face or skull area.”

On the game, Townsend said: “When you’re 17-0 down, when things haven’t gone well for you and you’ve had to make changes, you do fear that the opposition could build on that, but I was really proud of the way we came back at the end of the first half."

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Scotland's Jack Dempsey in action during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Ireland's Sam Prendergast scores a penalty during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe scores a try during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Scotland's Finn Russell, left, and Scotland's Darcy Graham, right, leave the field during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Scotland's Darcy Graham is stretchered off during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

CORRECTS ID Ireland's Calvin Nash left, celebrates after scoring a try during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

Scotland's Tom Jordan is tackled during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

Scotland's Ben White reacts after scoring a try during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Ireland's Calvin Nash is tackled by Scotland's Darcy Graham during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Scotland's Tom Jordan is tackled during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

Ireland's Hugo Keenan is tackled by Scotland's Blair Kinghorn, left, during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Ireland's Caelan Doris celebrates after scoring a try during the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday Feb. 9, 2025. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims from around the world congregated on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the second official day of the annual Islamic pilgrimage, considered the pinnacle of the Hajj.

Despite the sweltering heat, the pilgrims gathered on the rocky hill and surrounding plain for intense prayers and worship that often mark a spiritual peak for them. They fervently murmured prayers and poured their hearts out in supplications. Many raised their hands in worship. It is common for pilgrims on that day, some with tears streaming down their faces, to ask God for forgiveness, mercy, blessings and good health.

The Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is required once in a lifetime for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to perform it.

For pilgrims, the Hajj, performed over several days, can be a deeply moving spiritual experience and a chance to seek God’s forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. As they brave the intense heat to perform religious rituals, many pilgrims have been using umbrellas for shade.

A Saudi official said on Friday that more than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in the country from abroad.

This year, Muslims have been pouring into Saudi Arabia for the Hajj against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related uncertainty in the region.

The U.S. military said Monday that it carried out “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran, including on missile launch sites and boats used to lay mines, even as President Donald Trump said on social media that negotiations with Tehran were “proceeding nicely." Iran on Tuesday denounced the most recent U.S. strikes as a sign of “bad faith and unreliability” as negotiations pressed on toward a possible deal to end the war.

For many, performing the Hajj can be a realization of a lifelong dream as they spend years hoping and praying to one day be able to undertake the pilgrimage or saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the trip.

“This happens once in a lifetime,” Mohammad Asal, an Egyptian pilgrim, said. “People here have prepared their prayers, hoping that God will respond to them, because we know that ... the most important ritual of the Hajj is being in Arafat.”

The Hajj brings together large numbers of Muslims of diverse races, ethnicities, languages and socioeconomic classes, creating a sense of unity for many. It’s a mass, communal experience, with Muslims performing rituals together. But it is also deeply personal, as every pilgrim brings their own yearnings and experiences.

“It was incredible,” Ahmed Sufyan, a pilgrim from the United States, said on Tuesday. “The unity and peace that we feel is something I’ve never experienced before,” he added via WhatsApp.

“Our wishes are many,” Mohammad Obaid, a Sudanese pilgrim, said, adding he was praying for Sudan and Muslims everywhere.

Fam reported from Winter Park, Florida.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

A Muslim pilgrim pray atop of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Muslim pilgrims walk towards the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Muslim pilgrims are silhouetted as they pray at top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Muslim pilgrims pray at top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Muslim pilgrims read a copy of Islam's holy book Quran atop of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)