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Worldwide Sports News

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France 33-31 England: Six Nations 2024 finale – as it happened

France needed a late Thomas Ramos penalty to win a nail-biter in Lyon

2 mins. England recycle the restart and boot it back to France who decide it’s the kind of night whereby they will go wide early, and have already had Fickou chucking the ball through his legs as an option. This move gets them outside the English blitz via a Depoortere run up the left touchline before England scramble and force him out.

At the second attempt (don’t ask), Thomas Ramos punts the ball deep to get us underway.

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Ireland 17-13 Scotland: Six Nations 2024 – as it happened

Ireland retained their Six Nations title after a tense 17-13 win over Scotland in Dublin

4 mins. An organised start from both sides, each taking a couple of carries up before dispatching the ball with the boot of their scrum-halves. Rinse, repeat.

There’s a slight variation when Ireland spin to Lowe and his kick is charged down by Christie rampaging out of the line with a block.

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Ireland Six Nations winners in all but name but bonus points cloud issue | Michael Aylwin

England, France and Scotland can still lift Six Nations trophy with Gregor Townsend’s men harbouring some regrets

Only sad old men in pubs indulge in “coulda, shoulda” talk, but we are legion among Six Nations followers, so why not? Dublin coulda, shoulda been a grand-slam decider.

As it is, we will almost certainly witness Ireland’s procession towards a second consecutive Six Nations title. Even if they lose.

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Six Nations: Townsend knows Scotland need ‘special’ day to beat Ireland

  • Tough task ahead with Ireland winning last nine successive ties
  • Gatland ‘loves’ pressure of avoiding wooden spoon with Wales

Gregor Townsend admits Scotland will have to “do something special” in Dublin as he challenged them to score at least 20 points against Ireland and give themselves a fighting chance of a first triple crown since 1990.

Scotland are heading to the Irish capital looking to save face after a shock defeat in Italy last weekend all but ended their hopes of winning the championship and left them staring at the possibility of finishing fifth if results go against them on Saturday.

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Professional darts player suspended after appearing to punch opponent in pub match

  • Adam Smith-Neale barred from competing during investigation
  • World No 82 suspended after incident at Nuneaton Darts Open

A professional darts player has been suspended after a video of him appearing to punch an opponent after losing a pub match went viral on social media.

The Darts Regulation Authority confirmed that the PDC world No 82, Adam “Big Dog” Smith-Neale, would be barred from attending or competing while it conducted an investigation into the incident, which took place at the Nuneaton Darts Open at the Lucky Break pub on Saturday.

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The Breakdown | Shooting for the stars: young guns are lighting up this year’s Six Nations

From Le Garrec’s mega pass to the mesmerising Menoncello and the mighty Martin, a new wave of impressive young talent is making its mark

There is still one final round of the 2024 Six Nations remaining but a striking trend is already apparent. Look across all the teams and a new wave of impressive young talent is announcing itself. While there will always be a place for cauliflower-eared experience at the highest level, it is rare for as many fresh faces to be making such a concerted impact on the grand old tournament.

Front and centre for France in Cardiff on Sunday was the 21-year-old l’homme du match Nolann Le Garrec, whose outrageous reverse Hail Mary long pass has rightly been delighting social media users from beyond rugby’s traditional audiences. Then there is Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, also 21, who was outstanding on his first start for England having missed training the week before to sit a medical exam. If his bedside manner is anything like his attacking instinct, the future of the National Health Service is in safe hands.

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Turning Luke Littler into a celebrity or brand is least interesting thing you can do | Jonathan Liew

The darting sensation’s story crossed over to the mainstream but his stage is on the oche not answering questions on a sofa

Luke Littler is sitting alone in the green room of the Jonathan Ross Show. By this point we have already heard: Liam Gallagher talking about his dog; Raye recounting her 6am trip to McDonald’s after winning six Brit Awards; Millie Bobby Brown from Stranger Things on her future wedding; the comedian Rob Beckett on his new quiz show. Gallagher and John Squire have played their new single. The chat is flowing. Famous people are laughing with polished, performative loudness.

There are about 10 minutes left when Littler is finally summoned to the famous brown sofa. He gets on exactly as you would expect of a 17-year-old with virtually zero experience of the celebrity milieu. Everything here is diffidence and shrugs, short even words delivered in a short even tone, not so much recalcitrance as a basic teenage refusal. He doesn’t hate your question. He doesn’t love your question. He doesn’t really think anything about your question at all. It’s just there, hanging, and he’s learned by now that if he says a few words the question will go away, a car is going to come and take him home and then he’s going to play on his Xbox.

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Alex Carey leads mighty run chase as Australia beat New Zealand in second Test

  • New Zealand 162 and 372; Australia 256 and 281-7
  • Carey unbeaten on 98 in three-wicket victory in Christchurch

Australia’s middle order squeaked out a mighty Test win in Christchurch, where Alex Carey’s fighting 98 not out defied New Zealand to wrap up a 2-0 series victory. Carey and Mitch Marsh, who made 80, did the business for Australia, which stumbled to 4-34 before reaching 281-7 to win.

Combining after the early loss of Travis Head (18) at 80-5, Marsh and Carey put on 140 runs together – the biggest partnership of the series, when the pressure was at its heaviest. New Zealand debutant Ben Sears gave Australia a mighty shake, removing Marsh and then Mitchell Starc in two balls to reduce the tourists to 220-7.

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Francesco Bagnaia begins defence of MotoGP title with Qatar GP victory

  • Ducati rider finished ahead of Brad Binder and Jorge Martín
  • Teenager Pedro Costa sets early pace but drops to ninth

Ducati’s defending world champion, Francesco Bagnaia, won the MotoGP season opening Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday after taking the lead in the opening lap to beat Red Bull KTM’s Brad Binder and Pramac Racing’s pole sitter Jorge Martín.

Bagnaia had finished fourth in Saturday’s sprint but his faultless ride to take the chequered flag in the race moved him to the top of the championship with 31 points. Binder, who also finished second in the sprint, sits two points behind with 29 while last year’s championship runner-up, Martín, is a point further behind.

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Wales 24-45 France: Six Nations 2024 – as it happened

Wales play their part in eight-try show, but France’s power game proves too much as Gatland’s charges remain rooted to the bottom of the table.

Elliot Dee leads the team out on his 50th appearance. Applause for Lewis Jones, the former Wales and British & Irish Lion, who passed away this week. Some love too for Barry John, JPR Williams, Phil Bennett and John Dawes.

Minutes away. Both groups look tense. They know what’s on offer today. Redemption is maybe too strong a word, but yesterday proved that any side can win if their opponents aren’t on it.

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New Zealand close in on drought-breaking Test victory against Australia

New Zealand are in the box seat to claim a drought-busting Test win over their arch-rivals after Australia wilted on day three of the second Test.

Chasing 279 for victory, Matt Henry and debutant Ben Sears ripped through the Australian top order at Hagley Oval on Sunday, leaving Australia dazed at 34-4.

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Pat Cummins strikes late but New Zealand claw back ascendancy in seesawing second Test

  • Marnus Labuschagne scores 90 as Matt Henry takes 7-67
  • New Zealand fight back to 134-2 leading by 40 runs on day two

Australia skipper Pat Cummins bowled Kane Williamson in the final hour of play on the second day of the second Test in Christchurch on Saturday, just as the master batsman threatened an innings that would put New Zealand on top.

After 14 wickets fell on day one and seven more before tea, Williamson and Tom Latham had hit the pause button on a frenetic match with a partnership of 105 that erased Australia’s first-innings lead and put the home side 17 runs ahead.

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