Ireland and Wales’ Triple Crown history as Cardiff clash looms

Joe McCarthy of Ireland celebrates after teammate Dan Sheehan, not pictured, scored their side's first try in the 21st minute, during the Guinness Six Nations. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

The first major piece of silverware in the 2025 Guinness Six Nations could be handed out at Principality Stadium if Ireland can maintain their unbeaten run.

With wins against England and Scotland already in the bag, a win over Wales would secure the Triple Crown. The next targets after that will be a Grand Slam and an historic first hat-trick of Six Nations titles.

The pursuit of silverware in international rugby began with the Triple Crown. Not that when England became the first winners of the mythical title way back in 1883 there was anything to present to anyone.

Nowadays there is a glistening trophy, medals, fireworks and an array of photographers to join in the celebrations. It wasn’t until 2006 that the then Six Nations backers, RBS, introduced the Triple Crown plate to present to the winners. Brian O’Driscoll was the first captain to receive the trophy.

Wales won the first of their 22 Triple Crowns by beating Ireland at Llanelli in 1893 — a comprehensive 2-0 triumph thanks to a try from Bert Gould. The Irish got their revenge a year later when Edmund Forrest’s side won 3-0 against Wales at the Ulster Cricket Ground in Belfast to take the title for the first time.

On the line in the Welsh capital for the Irish side will be a possible 14th Triple Crown and an eighth of this century. There have been regular battles between the two nations for the honour of being called Triple Crown champions.

On five occasions the Triple Crown was decided with both teams in the hunt — 1905, 1911, 1965, 2005, and 2009. Wales won four of them and in 2009 Brian O’Driscoll’s side triumphed in Cardiff to clinch only their second Grand Slam — the first since 1948.

Who could ever forget that game? Stephen Jones dropped a goal in the 76th minute to edge Wales into a 15-14 lead before Ronan O’Gara replied with a similar kick two minutes later to clinch the title. Four years earlier O’Gara had had a defensive kick brilliantly charged down by Gethin Jenkins that paved the way for the record-breaking prop to pounce for a try that earned Wales a first Grand Slam in 27 years and sent the whole of Wales into party mode.

On that occasion, too, the Irish arrived with a Triple Crown in their sights — and with their current interim head coach Simon Easterby in their back row. Wales won 32-20 and a new golden era of Welsh rugby was born that delivered four Grand Slams, two more Six Nations titles and two Bronze Finals at the World Cup in 20 years.

That is a far cry from their current standing, having slumped to 12th in the World Rugby rankings after a record 14 successive defeats, eight of them in the championship.

But don’t forget that Wales are the only other team that can win the Triple Crown this season, which is played for between the traditional ‘Four Home Unions’. This will be their first game in the 2025 sequence, although the bookies have them at 220/1 to beat Ireland, Scotland, and then England.