Six Nations rugby: What is the Triple Crown? Who can win it? Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales - trophies played for in the competition

The overall Six Nations title is the one that every side wants to win - but within the competition are smaller titles.

The Calcutta Cup is the highest-profile of the contests between teams, and is lifted by the winner of the Scotland-England match each year. There's also the Millennium Trophy for the winner of Englandf-Ireland, the new Doddie Weir Cup for the victor of Scotland and Wales, the Auld Alliance Trophy up for grabs in the France-Scotland game and the Cuttitta Cup for the winner of Italy and Scotland's tie.

Today's game between Ireland and Scotland sees the Centenary Quaich there for the taking, but could also see another title bestowed on Scotland - the Triple Crown.

What is the Triple Crown?

The Triple Crown can be taken by the home nation - England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales - which beats the other three during the Six Nations. Ireland have won it for the last two years, Wales took it in 2021 and England in 2020. But Scotland have not won it since 1990 - when the Six Nations was still the Five Nations, before Italy's arrival - and are desperate to make amends.

The last time a Triple Crown was not won was 2017, and now the Scots are masters of their own destiny in whether they can lift the title. Given that England beat Ireland, it's not an option for the Irish.

Is Scotland-Ireland the Six Nations decider?

Basically yes - because it's Ireland's title to lose. England have an outside chance if Scotland can both beat Ireland and deny them a bonus point, allowing the English to sneak past the line at the 11th hour. The Scots would have had a much better chance of a title tilt had there not been an unexpected defeat to Italy last time out. Ireland need to win or get two bonus points in defeat.

What have Ireland and Scotland said?

Scotland co-captain Rory Darge hopes channelling the dejection of that shock defeat can help topple and clinch the Triple Crown. Gregor Townsend’s side run out in Dublin on Saturday seeking to salvage silverware from a campaign which disastrously unravelled in Rome.

While Scotland retain an extremely slim chance of snatching the title, the consolation of defeating Ireland, England and Wales in a single championship for the first time since the 1990 Five Nations appears to be the realistic extent of their ambitions.

“Coming here to get a result is going to be a tough ask but we’ve got a lot to play for,” Darge said at the Aviva Stadium on Friday afternoon. “It’s 30-odd years since the Triple Crown for a Scottish team and obviously after a loss like last weekend, the first thing you want to do is get back out there and put things as right as you can. That’s what we’re looking forward to. The fuel is the result (against Italy, a 31-29 defeat). The fuel is how gutted we were after the game. It was a quiet changing room.

Meanwhile Ireland coach Andy Farrell believes the chance to end the Triple Crown drought makes Scotland a major threat to Ireland’s Guinness title defence. While Scotland have not beaten rivals England, Ireland and Wales in a single championship since the 1990 Five Nations, Farrell acknowledges they have a track record of toppling Test rugby’s leading nations.

“They’ve been consistent at beating big teams over the years and playing a brand of rugby that’s been great for everyone to see,” he said. “When you’re disappointed, all you want is an opportunity where there’s a trophy on the line. And I know that as far as the Triple Crown is concerned, they’ve not won that for some time now and that makes them dangerous in our view. We’ve got to be ready for them to be as good as they’ve ever been against us.”