Two sailors remain in a stable condition in hospital following a major collision between New Zealand and France that forced the abandonment of racing at the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix.

The alarming incident occurred at the start of race three when the home favourites lost control and veered sharply across the path of their European rivals.

Both teams have been ruled out of Sunday’s remaining action due to the significant structural damage sustained by their F50 catamarans.

Kiwi team punished for ‘loss of control’

SailGP officials confirmed that one crew member from each boat was injured during the smash, described by organisers as “catastrophic”.

The Black Foils were immediately deducted eight event points for causing the collision, sending them plummeting down the leaderboard.

It marks a troubling pattern for the New Zealand outfit, who were involved in another collision with Switzerland during last month’s season opener in Perth.

France driver Quentin Delapierre admitted the sequence of events happened too fast to fully process.

“Everything happened so quickly – it’s still super cloudy in my head and I haven’t reviewed the footage or spoken to the umpires.”

“I think both teams are OK. I want to give my thoughts to the New Zealand team and also to my team-mates – this was tough for everyone on both teams.”

Delapierre added that he hopes to find solutions to ensure such a dangerous incident is never repeated on the water.

British champions struggle as schedule changes

Before the chaos ensued, the Kiwis had briefly moved into first place after securing victory in the second race of the day.

Elsewhere, defending champions Great Britain endured a mixed afternoon, recovering from a disappointing 11th-place finish to take second in race two.

Organisers have confirmed that Sunday’s racing will start earlier than planned to avoid adverse weather conditions predicted for the area.

Anthony Joshua has paid approximately £11m in UK tax over the last year while deliberating his boxing career following a personal tragedy.

Heavyweight star faces huge tax bill

The two-time world champion appeared 100th on the recently released Sunday Times UK Tax List.

Despite fighting just once last year, a lucrative knockout victory over Jake Paul generated a colossal purse of £68.5m.

However, the earnings were significantly reduced by international fiscal obligations.

Around £25.6m was claimed by the IRS in the United States because the bout took place in Florida.

A further sum exceeding £5.5m went to the UK Treasury, significantly cutting into the Watford-born fighter’s take-home pay.

Joshua was not the only sporting figure facing a hefty contribution to the public purse.

Manchester City forward Erling Haaland also featured prominently, paying £17m in tax over the past 12 months.

Personal tragedy casts shadow over return

Financial hits are currently secondary for the 34-year-old as he processes a devastating loss within his inner circle.

A car crash in Nigeria on 29 December claimed the lives of Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, two of his closest friends.

The incident has cast doubt on whether the Olympic gold medallist will step back between the ropes.

In a recent video, Joshua fought back tears while addressing the loss of his "lieutenants".

I understand what they wanted to do for their families, so what my goal is, is to continue to help them achieve their goals.

It ain’t about legacy, it’s just about doing what is right and I know I am going to do what is right by them.

Hearn provides update on comeback

Before the accident, the British heavyweight had been planning a warm-up bout to prepare for a showdown with Tyson Fury.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted a return remains possible, but only "when the time is right".

Any discussions regarding a future fight have been paused indefinitely.

Meanwhile, domestic rival Fury is scheduled to face Arslanbek Makhmudov on 11 April.

England arrive at Murrayfield on Saturday seeking to validate their 12-match winning streak against a Scotland side that has tormented them in recent Calcutta Cup history.

The pass that changed history

It was a single moment of brilliance that turned a defence inside out and twisted a rivalry upside down.

Back in 2018, the hosts had not beaten their southern neighbours in Edinburgh for a decade.

The oldest fixture in international rugby was showing its age, with the Scots winning just three of the previous 29 meetings.

Then Finn Russell threw the ball that changed everything.

With a torpedo pass that froze the defence, the fly-half sparked a movement that signaled a changing of the guard.

A rivalry reborn

Since that 25-13 victory for the home side, the Red Rose have tasted success just twice in eight meetings.

What was once an annual formality has become a brutal benchmark the visitors struggle to reach.

Saturday’s trip to Edinburgh now looks like the pinch point that will define Steve Borthwick’s title dreams.

This is an upwardly mobile team, however, too excited about the future to dwell on the past.

Borthwick’s brave new era

The visitors bounce north on the back of 12 consecutive victories and blossoming strength in depth.

Such is their options, fit-again centre Ollie Lawrence has been omitted from the matchday 23 without stirring much comment.

Even an injury to prop Will Stuart has been shrugged off thanks to the emergence of Joe Heyes.

Captain Maro Itoje returns to the XV, while big-match staple Tom Curry provides reinforcement from the bench.

Validating the streak

Momentum gathers apace, but quiet doubts remain that only a victory at the home of Scottish rugby will ease.

Critics suggest the current winning run began with some fortuitous results.

Last year’s one-point victory over Gregor Townsend’s side would have been a defeat had Russell nailed a final-play conversion.

To prove this era is truly different, England must exorcise the ghosts of Murrayfield once and for all.

Andy Farrell has responded to Ireland’s opening weekend humiliation by making six changes for the visit of Italy, handing Six Nations debuts to Ulster pair Robert Baloucoune and Cormac Izuchukwu.

The head coach is demanding an immediate reaction from his squad at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday.

Following a chastening defeat by France, the management has reshuffled the deck significantly to reignite their championship campaign.

Fresh faces and tactical shifts

Baloucoune steps onto the right wing for his first taste of championship action.

His provincial team-mate Izuchukwu earns his maiden cap at blindside flanker.

Experience also returns to the backline, with James Lowe restored to the left wing.

Craig Casey is preferred to Jamison Gibson-Park at scrum-half as Farrell seeks a sharper tempo.

In the pack, James Ryan replaces Tadhg Beirne in the second row.

Jack Conan’s inclusion at number eight forces captain Caelan Doris to shift across to the openside flank.

Azzurri arrive with momentum

While the hosts lick their wounds, Italy travel to Dublin brimming with confidence.

Gonzalo Quesada’s side secured a shock victory over Scotland in round one.

However, the visitors are without centre Juan Ignacio Brex due to family reasons.

The head coach has reshuffled his backline but otherwise keeps faith in the XV that stunned the Scots.

Despite a 13-year wait for a win over the Men in Green, the Azzurri will believe an upset is possible against a shaken Irish side.

Broadcast details

Coverage begins on ITV1 and STV at 13:00 GMT on Saturday, 7 February.

Kick-off is scheduled for 14:10 GMT.

Viewers can also stream the match live via ITVX.

The American phenomenon, unbeaten for more than two years, entered the final as the overwhelming favourite but produced a nightmare performance when it mattered most.

Malinin, 21, fell twice during his free skate and popped his attempt at a history-making quad axel.

Shaidorov seizes the moment

While his rival floundered, Shaidorov held his nerve to deliver a near-faultless routine in Milan.

The world silver medallist posted a total score of 291.58 to secure his nation’s first-ever figure skating Olympic title.

It was a display of cool composure from the Kazakh star on a night where many of the world’s elite failed to stay upright.

‘Quad God’ brought down to earth

Malinin had planned an ambitious seven quadruple jumps but landed only a single in a programme that stunned the crowd into silence.

The Virginia native looked distraught as his score was read out, burying his face in his hands after placing 15th on the night to drop out of medal contention entirely.

Despite his devastation, the former world champion recovered to congratulate the visibly amazed winner.

Japan secure double podium

Yuma Kagiyama took the silver medal with 280.06 points, surviving an error-strewn skate that had initially left the door wide open for the favourite.

His compatriot Shun Sato rounded off the top three, finishing six points further back to claim an emotional bronze.

Yuto Totsuka has claimed Olympic gold in the men’s halfpipe at the Milan Cortina Games, delivering a spectacular 95-point run to edge out Australian rival Scotty James.

The 24-year-old produced a technical masterclass in Livigno, landing back-to-back triple corks during a massive second attempt.

That high-risk strategy was rewarded by the judges, vaulting the current World Cup leader into pole position with a score that proved insurmountable.

James suffers final run heartbreak

Scotty James, looking to upgrade the silver he won at Beijing 2022, had looked formidable after topping the qualification standings on Wednesday.

However, the Australian veteran could not improve on his second-run score of 93.50.

Pushing for gold on the very last run of the competition, the 31-year-old fell near the bottom of the pipe, confirming his status as runner-up for the second consecutive Games.

It marks a third Olympic medal for James, adding to the bronze he collected in Pyeongchang eight years ago.

Japanese snowboarders dominate in Italy

It was a historic day for Japan, with Ryusei Yamada securing bronze to ensure two steps on the podium were occupied by the Asian nation.

The result continues a trend of dominance at these Milan Cortina Games, marking the team’s fifth and sixth snowboarding medals.

Previous victories include golds for Kira Kimura and Kokomo Murase in big air events.

While Totsuka celebrated, there was disappointment for defending champion Ayumu Hirano.

Still recovering from significant facial and pelvic injuries sustained last month, the 2022 gold medallist could only manage a seventh-place finish.

Ruka Hirano narrowly missed out on the medals, finishing fourth to round out a powerful showing for the Japanese squad.

The United States women’s curling team have claimed their first-ever Olympic victory over Canada, edging out the world number ones 9-8 in a dramatic contest in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

It was a result that stunned the rink, with the American quartet unaware they had made history until after the final stone was thrown.

Ending a historic drought

Since women’s curling debuted at the 1998 Games, the two nations have met in every tournament.

However, the Canadians had emerged victorious on every previous occasion, dominating the rivalry for nearly three decades.

While the US men famously secured gold against their northern neighbours in 2018, the women’s squad had been forced to wait for their own breakthrough moment.

Friday’s triumph against Team Homan, widely considered the best on the planet, finally snapped that losing streak.

“If that’s true, I think we just played a really good game,” said Minneapolis native Taylor Anderson-Heide following the nail-biting finish.

“They’re number one in the world.”

Capitalising on the ice

Tabitha Peterson’s side managed to capitalise on uncharacteristic errors from the Canadian skip Rachel Homan.

The Americans walked down the ice raising their fists in triumph, celebrating a vital win in the round-robin stage.

Tara Peterson, sister of the skip, admitted the historical weight of the result added to the emotion.

“Apparently, we’ve never beat them in the Olympics before,” she told the Associated Press.

“That makes it just extra special.”

Mothers and medics

This US squad balances elite sporting ambition with professional careers and motherhood.

The lineup features a dentist, a pharmacist, and a lab technician, grounding the team with real-world perspective.

Alongside the Peterson sisters, the team includes Cory Thiesse, who has already secured a silver medal in the mixed doubles event.

The victory moves the United States to a 2-1 record in Italy, having already defeated Korea but fallen to Sweden earlier in the week.

Matt Weston has propelled himself into first place with a composed third run in the men’s skeleton at the Winter Olympics.

The Team GB athlete delivered a clinical performance on day seven of the Games to overhaul his rivals.

He credited a relaxed technique for the success, noting that he aimed to "allow the sled to do the work".

Weston sets the pace

This masterful display sees the Briton looking down on the rest of the pack.

His smooth navigation of the icy track has raised genuine hopes of a podium finish for the squad.

Rivals were left trailing as the slider found the perfect line through the technical corners.

Eyeing Olympic glory

Pressure is now mounting ahead of the final deciding heat.

Weston must maintain this composure to secure a historic result for Great Britain.

Fans back home will be watching closely as the competition reaches its thrilling climax.