The Red Rose suffered a catastrophic afternoon at Murrayfield as ill-discipline and defensive errors handed the Calcutta Cup back to the hosts.
England’s hopes of a Six Nations Grand Slam have been extinguished after Henry Arundell was sent off during a damaging 31-20 defeat by Scotland in Edinburgh.
Steve Borthwick’s side arrived with momentum but suffered their first loss since the opening weekend of last year’s championship.
It was a chastening encounter that saw the visitors deservedly beaten by a resurgent Scottish outfit.
Huw Jones proved the tormentor-in-chief for the hosts, crossing the whitewash twice to expose England’s defensive fragility.
Further tries from Jamie Ritchie and Ben White, alongside 11 points from Finn Russell’s boot, secured the victory in emphatic style.
The result comes as a hammer blow to England’s ambitions, leaving defending champions France as the only team capable of securing the Grand Slam.
Arundell sees red
The pivotal narrative of the match centred on the dramatic dismissal of the young winger.
Last week’s hat-trick hero experienced a nightmare outing, initially seeing yellow before a second error ended his game prematurely.
Arundell had scored earlier in the contest, but a calamitous mistake during a kick-chase resulted in his sending off.
His exit meant the visitors were forced to navigate half an hour with only 14 men, a handicap they could not overcome.
It was a harsh lesson for the youngster, whose individual brilliance was overshadowed by costly indiscipline.
Defensive lines broken
While the red card was decisive, England’s defensive structure had already shown cracks.
Tom Roebuck, tasked with the defensive blitz, left too much space for Jones’ opening try.
The Sale Sharks winger struggled to dominate the aerial battle as effective as his team required.
In the midfield, the partnership of Tommy Freeman and Fraser Dingwall failed to replicate the attacking fluidity seen against Wales.
Finn Russell and Ben White ruthlessly exploited the gaps in the visitor’s centre channels.
Freddie Steward offered some resistance with his trademark handling, but he was one of few bright sparks in the backline.
Missed opportunities
England relied heavily on the kicking game of George Ford, but execution deserted them at crucial moments.
The experienced fly-half saw a drop goal charged down, a disaster that epitomised the team’s disjointed performance.
Alex Mitchell hurried his distribution and failed to win back possession from his box-kicks often enough.
Up front, Ben Earl remained a tireless worker, but the pack ultimately came off second best against a spirited Scottish eight.
Ellis Genge endured a mixed afternoon, scrummaging well but finding himself out of position for a Scottish try.
Luke Cowan-Dickie also conceded a soft penalty with a missile tackle that Borthwick’s men could ill afford.
With the Calcutta Cup lost, England must now regroup quickly to salvage their championship campaign.
Casey Wasserman has announced the sale of his eponymous talent agency following the release of controversial emails involving Ghislaine Maxwell, though he will retain his position as chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The decision comes days after government files revealed flirtatious correspondence between the executive and the disgraced British socialite.
These exchanges, dating back to 2003, have placed the entertainment mogul under intense scrutiny.
A distraction to the work
In a memo sent to staff on Friday, the 50-year-old acknowledged that his continued ownership had become detrimental to the firm.
Control of the business will temporarily pass to Mike Watts while a buyer is sought.
“During this time, Mike Watts will assume day-to-day control of the business while I devote my full attention to delivering Los Angeles an Olympic Games in 2028 that is worthy of this outstanding city.”
The recently surfaced documents included a message where the businessman asked Maxwell about seeing her in a “tight leather outfit”.
Maxwell was later convicted of helping Jeffrey Epstein recruit and sexually abuse victims.
Olympic role unaffected
Despite the turmoil surrounding his private business, the Californian’s role with the upcoming Summer Games appears secure.
The LA28 board’s executive committee convened specifically to discuss the matter.
Following an external legal review, the committee cleared the chairman to continue his work.
“We found Mr. Wasserman’s relationship with Epstein and Maxwell did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented.”
The statement urged him to focus on delivering a “safe and successful” tournament.
High-profile departures
The move to sell the agency follows a wave of exits from its client roster.
Rapidly rising pop star Chappell Roan has reportedly severed ties with the representation giant.
Former US women’s national team captain Abby Wambach has also departed in the wake of the revelations.
The agency founder expressed deep remorse regarding the impact of his past interactions on his current employees.
“I’m heartbroken that my brief contact with them 23 years ago has caused you, this company, and its clients so much hardship over the past days and weeks.”
Keely Hodgkinson has produced a sensational performance to set a new national record of 1:56.33 in the women’s 800m heats at the UK Athletics Indoor Championships.
The Olympic silver medallist tore apart the field in Birmingham to lay down a frightening marker for the season ahead.
Observers at the track were left stunned as the clock stopped on a historic time during what was expected to be a routine qualifier.
History made in the heats
The Atherton-born star looked comfortable from the outset, moving through the gears with her trademark smooth stride.
To break a national record in the preliminary rounds is almost unheard of at this level of elite competition.
It serves as a stark warning to her global rivals ahead of the upcoming major international championships.
‘Special’ talent shines
Commentators and fans alike were quick to label the run as "special" immediately following the race.
The sheer dominance displayed suggests the British middle-distance runner is currently in the form of her life.
Expectations will now be sky-high for the final as the crowd anticipates just how much faster she can go.
Aiden Markram blasted a blistering unbeaten 86 as South Africa surged to a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand, maintaining their flawless start to the T20 World Cup.
Chasing a target of 176, the Proteas effectively killed the contest within the first six overs following a ferocious assault on the Black Caps’ bowlers.
Markram reached his half-century in just 19 balls, equalling the record for the fastest fifty of the tournament so far.
The victory leaves South Africa on the brink of official qualification for the Super 8s, while New Zealand must regroup ahead of their final group game against Canada.
Skipper leads from the front
The run chase was defined by the South African captain’s aggression, as he dismantled the opposition attack with eight fours and four sixes.
Alongside Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton, Markram propelled his side to 83-1 by the end of the powerplay, removing any pressure from the required run rate.
New Zealand managed to stem the flow of boundaries in the middle overs, but the damage had already been done.
The 29-year-old remained at the crease until the end, watching from the non-striker’s end as David Miller finished the job in style.
The veteran left-hander launched Lockie Ferguson into the stands for a monstrous six, sealing the win with 17 deliveries to spare.
Jansen sparks the turnaround
New Zealand had earlier threatened to post a formidable total after openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert came out swinging.
Allen raced to 31 off just 17 balls, punishing the new ball before Marco Jansen intervened to shift the momentum.
The towering left-arm seamer claimed crucial figures of 4-40, removing three batters in quick succession to reign in the scoring rate.
Jansen dismissed Seifert in his first over before removing Rachin Ravindra and Allen within the space of four balls to end the powerplay.
Mark Chapman led a recovery with a fighting 48 from 26 balls, helping the Kiwis post 175-7.
However, the total proved woefully insufficient against a rampaging South African batting line-up determined to keep their 100% record intact.
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.