France ran in 11 tries to secure a dominant 69-28 victory over Scotland, setting up a thrilling Women’s Six Nations title decider against England next weekend.

The visitors blitzed their hosts right from the kick-off, with captain Manae Feleu crossing the whitewash after barely 50 seconds following an early handling error.

Despite a spirited first-half response from an injury-ravaged home side, the sheer power and pace of the French outfit ultimately proved overwhelming.

Lea Champon and Siobhan Soqeta both bagged impressive braces before the break, helping establish an imposing 31-14 half-time advantage.

Injury-hit hosts show fleeting resistance

Rachel Philipps provided a rare bright spark for the home fans, seizing her first Test start by slicing through the defensive line for two excellent first-half scores.

Stepping up in the absence of injured standout Emma Orr, the young centre demonstrated remarkable composure against world-class opposition.

However, any momentum gained by Philipps’ double was swiftly extinguished right on the stroke of half-time when Champon broke free to deliver a crucial psychological blow.

The hosts were also punished during a brief period where they enjoyed a numerical advantage, conceding a clever chip-and-gather try to Carla Arbez while Feleu was in the sin-bin.

Relentless surge secures bonus-point triumph

Normal service resumed immediately after the restart as full-back Pauline Barrat finished off a slick passing move in the corner.

As fatigue began to set into the inexperienced Scottish ranks, gaps widened and the floodgates subsequently opened.

Alexandra Chambon, Lea Murie, Annaelle Deshayes, and Ambre Mwayembe all added their names to the scoresheet as the relentless onslaught continued unabated.

Emily Coubrough and Aicha Sutcliffe did manage to salvage some pride for the tiring hosts late on, ensuring they walked away with a four-try bonus point in defeat.

Attention turns to Bordeaux showdown

This comprehensive triumph sets the stage for a monumental final-day clash, as the unbeaten French prepare to host reigning champions England in Bordeaux.

The formidable contenders will need to maintain this devastating attacking form if they are to dethrone the Red Roses and claim the coveted championship crown.

Meanwhile, a battered Scottish squad must quickly regroup before travelling to Dublin to face Ireland in their closing fixture.

Guillermo Thomas Silva has become the first Uruguayan to win a Grand Tour stage after sprinting to victory in an incident-marred stage two of the Giro d’Italia on Saturday.

The XDS Astana rider triumphed in a photo finish following a gruelling, rain-soaked 221km route from Burgas to Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria.

His historic achievement secures him the coveted pink jersey, taking the overall race lead from stage one winner Paul Magnier.

“I’m over the moon. This is only the second stage of my first Giro d’Italia and I’m the winner and even managed to take the maglia rosa,” said Silva.

Mass crash forces race neutralisation

The landmark victory was overshadowed by a severe pile-up involving nearly 20 riders at the 198km mark.

Wet and slippery conditions caused chaos in the peloton, with commentators noting Marc Soler was the first to fall before others crashed into roadside guard rails.

Australian Jay Vine and Norwegian Adne Holter sustained injuries serious enough to force their immediate abandonment from the three-week race.

They join Matteo Moschetti on the sidelines, who became the first competitor to abandon the tour following a separate incident on Friday.

Vingegaard caught in frantic finale

Following the restart, Jonas Vingegaard launched a blistering attack over the Lyaskovets Monastery Pass.

The Danish rider crested the summit with a narrow advantage, pursued closely on the descent by Giulio Pellizzari and Lenny Van Eetvelt.

However, the diminished peloton swallowed up the leading trio with just 500 metres remaining to set up a chaotic sprint finish.

The 24-year-old South American timed his explosive final effort perfectly to edge out Spaniard Florian Stork in second and Italian Giulio Ciccone in third.

“I just had to keep calm and launch the sprint at the right time. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this day,” the new race leader added.

The battered peloton will look to recover on Sunday during a flatter 175km third stage travelling from Plovdiv to Sofia.

Spanish cyclist Paula Blasi secured her first Grand Tour title by winning the women’s Vuelta a Espana on the punishing slopes of L’Angliru.

The 23-year-old UAE Team ADQ rider began the final day second in the general classification behind the Netherlands’ Anna van der Breggen.

However, the former athletics competitor managed to drop the four-time Giro d’Italia champion on the vicious final ascent, which features gradients of up to 23%.

Crossing the line in second place behind stage winner Petra Stiasny was enough to hand the home favourite the overall crown.

A brutal decider on L’Angliru

The tour’s decisive moment arrived just four kilometres from the summit of one of cycling’s most notoriously difficult climbs.

French rider Marion Bunel launched a fierce attack that only the eventual champion could follow, leaving the struggling race leader behind.

This historic stage marked the very first time the feared Asturias road had been included in the women’s edition of the Spanish tour.

“It was crazy,” Blasi said of the climb after her victory. “The best thing I could do was not think about it.”
“I knew it would be about 50 minutes and so I said, ‘just keep going, keep on your pace’.”
“But I started to see Anna struggling and I said ‘let’s go for it’.”

From injury heartache to cycling elite

This remarkable triumph cements the Spaniard’s status as a formidable emerging talent within the women’s professional peloton.

She only began cycling competitively in 2024 after a severe injury forced her to prematurely end her promising athletics career.

Her rapid rise to the top follows an impressive victory at the Amstel Gold Race and strong showings across the Ardennes classics earlier this season.

Reporters asked the new champion how she would have reacted if someone had predicted this result just months ago.

“I would think you were joking,” she said.

Vuelta Femenina final results

Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn has fiercely denied claims from UFC president Dana White that he will be the lead promoter for the blockbuster heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

The American MMA mogul recently stated his intention to spearhead the all-British clash as part of his new Zuffa Boxing venture.

However, Hearn dismissed the suggestion as contractually impossible and branded the combat sports executive a clout chaser.

White had previously outlined his ambitious promotional plans for the year, including a newly signed broadcast partnership with Sky Sports in the UK.

Promotional dispute erupts over mega-fight

The dispute adds another layer of intrigue to a long-awaited showdown that will be bankrolled by Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh.

Fans worldwide are expected to watch the commercial spectacle unfold live on streaming platform Netflix.

White had confidently claimed he was taking charge of the heavyweight event during a recent media appearance.

“I’m doing the Tyson Fury – AJ fight, too. I’m gonna be promoting that,” White declared.

Those comments prompted a scathing social media response from the long-time boxing promoter representing the Olympic gold medallist.

“Such a clout chaser. Not a chance and contractually impossible. Let me know when you find your balls,” Hearn fired back.

Heavyweight stars continue comeback trails

Before any colossal domestic clash can materialise, both fighters must successfully navigate their respective warm-up bouts.

The former two-time world champion is scheduled to return to the ring against Kristian Prenga on July 25.

He has been rebuilding his career behind closed doors following a serious car accident just days after his brutal knockout victory over Jake Paul in December.

The 34-year-old has spent recent months training alongside former rival Oleksandr Usyk to prepare for his summer comeback.

Meanwhile, the Gypsy King wasted no time calling out his British rival after recently cruising past Arslanbek Makhmudov in a one-sided affair at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Rory McIlroy has stated he is no longer opposed to LIV Golf players returning to the PGA Tour following recent uncertainty over the breakaway circuit’s financial future.

The world number two believes any reintegration will heavily depend on whether the defectors genuinely wish to return to traditional golf circuits.

“It’s a question of if they do want to come back,”

McIlroy noted following his second round at the Truist Championship in North Carolina.

Financial uncertainty clouds rival tour

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund recently withdrew future financial backing for LIV Golf, raising significant doubts about the organisation’s long-term viability.

The Saudi-backed venture previously lured high-profile stars such as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau away from the established tours with highly lucrative, guaranteed contracts.

However, the four-time major champion expressed scepticism about the rival organisation’s ability to secure sufficient alternative investment to maintain its current model.

“When one of the wealthiest sovereign wealth funds in the world thinks that you’re too expensive for them, that sort of says something.”

A shifting stance on returning stars

The Northern Irishman was previously a fiercely outspoken critic of competitors who abandoned the established tours in favour of massive financial incentives.

He has progressively softened his position over recent years, admitting on Friday that his earlier views were perhaps overly judgemental.

The PGA Tour recently offered a temporary reintegration pathway for certain competitors, an avenue five-time major winner Brooks Koepka has already utilised.

“If it is a scenario where they have the option to come back and play on the traditional tours… I think everyone should be open to that. That’s just good business practice.”

Contract complications and future pathways

Several marquee names, including Ryder Cup star Tyrrell Hatton, remain contractually tied to the breakaway league beyond the current season.

DeChambeau’s initial agreement reportedly concludes after the current campaign, with the American allegedly seeking a massive new deal to stay.

Meanwhile, Rahm has recently resolved his financial dispute with the DP World Tour, potentially securing his eligibility to compete on the European circuit from 2027 onwards.

While the 35-year-old reiterated that the alternative league remains unappealing for his own career, he stressed that incorporating elite talent would ultimately benefit the wider golfing ecosystem.

Former British world champion sprinter CJ Ujah has been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged cryptocurrency fraud.

The 32-year-old is one of 10 individuals facing charges of conspiracy to defraud following an investigation spanning Kent, Essex and London.

The Regional Organised Crime Unit Network (ROCU) confirmed the arrests stem from a suspected organised crime group scam.

Elaborate scam targets crypto wallets

Suspects allegedly posed as police officers and cryptocurrency representatives during phone calls to multiple victims.

The perpetrators tricked individuals into sharing vital security details, including seed phrases, before draining their digital wallets.

One victim is reported to have lost more than £300,000 in the sophisticated operation.

“Victims are reported to have been tricked into sharing important security details, including seed phrases, before discovering funds stored in their crypto wallets had been stolen.”

Court dates and fellow athletes involved

The former world relay champion appeared before Margate Magistrates’ Court on 30 April.

He is currently one of seven people released on bail and will attend a hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on 28 May.

Fellow British sprinter Brandon Mingeli, who represented Great Britain at the 2021 Under-23 European Championships, was also arrested and remanded in custody.

Previous controversies and career suspension

The two-time British 100m champion previously served a 22-month ban for a doping violation at the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

That infraction resulted in the British men’s relay team being stripped of their silver medals, though he was later cleared of intentional doping.

Having returned to competition and reached the 100m semi-finals at the 2024 European Championships, the former Olympian has not raced competitively since last April.

Governing body British Athletics has declined to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings.

Injury-hit England will secure a Women’s Six Nations title decider against France if they defeat Italy in round four of the championship.

The Red Roses enter the penultimate weekend riding a formidable 36-match unbeaten streak.

A victory over the Italians would keep the world champions on course for a second consecutive Grand Slam.

Their closest challengers are currently level on points at the top of the table.

Les Bleues must first navigate an away fixture against a struggling Scotland side to maintain their own trophy ambitions.

Mounting forward crisis

Despite averaging nearly 60 points per game so far, the tournament leaders face significant squad depletion.

Recent blows to Alex Matthews and Sadia Kabeya have severely weakened the forward line.

Consequently, eight of the 13 forwards who featured in last year’s World Cup final squad are now unavailable.

This makeshift pack must now withstand a confident opposition fresh from a landmark victory.

Challengers target crucial points

Italy arrive buoyed by a shock 41-14 triumph over the Scots, driven by a dominant front-row performance.

Debutant Vittoria Zanette scored twice in that fixture, issuing a clear warning to a depleted English pack.

Elsewhere, the French outfit are heavily favoured to claim an away bonus-point win over a vulnerable Scottish team.

The hosts have made seven changes following an 84-7 humiliation against the title holders.

Meanwhile, winless Wales and Ireland will battle to restore pride at the bottom of the standings.

UFC president Dana White has confirmed that Conor McGregor will make his long-awaited return to the octagon this summer after a four-year absence.

The former two-division champion has not competed since suffering a catastrophic leg break against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

Despite a planned comeback against Michael Chandler falling through last year due to a training injury, the Dubliner has recently intensified his preparations.

Confidence grows over summer comeback

Speculation has been mounting that the 36-year-old could headline International Fight Week on 11 July.

While avoiding specific dates, White has now provided his strongest indication yet that the sport’s biggest star is ready to compete.

“We’re in a great place with Conor,” White told Jim Rome.
“I’m extremely confident that we’ll get him dialled in and ready to roll. He’ll fight this summer.”

Holloway emerges as potential opponent

McGregor had previously expressed interest in competing on the upcoming White House card next month.

However, that event will instead feature Ilia Topuria defending his title against Justin Gaethje in the main event.

With the summer timeline now established, former featherweight champion Max Holloway appears to be the leading candidate to face the returning star.

A bout would take place 13 years after their initial meeting, which saw the Irishman secure a decision victory over the Hawaiian.

Holloway is eager to bounce back having recently lost his BMF title to Charles Oliveira.