Nations

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has said the world gave Israel a ‘licence to torture Palestinians’ as she presented her latest report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. She criticised governments for allowing violations to continue with impunity.

When governing body offficials the Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco, overturning Senegal’s victory two months after the chaotic final, football fans were stunned.

The impact of the decision could spread beyond sport and weaken the bond between the nations.

While Moroccan fans took to the streets to celebrate their team’s belated success, the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was met with disbelief in Senegal, with fans and authorities calling the decision “unjust”.

Senegal’s government on Wednesday said it will pursue “all appropriate legal avenues” to overturn the decision and called for an international investigation into “suspected corruption” within African football’s governing body.

The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) then announced on Thursday that it had instructed lawyers, apparently carrying through its threat to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Such a move could lead to a yearlong legal battle before a ruling.

CAF’s appeals board on Tuesday ruled that Senegal forfeited the final by leaving the field of play without the referee’s authorisation, and it awarded Morocco a default 3-0 win.

The game was delayed for 14 minutes as most of the Senegalese players and staff returned to their dressing room, while Senegal fans battled stewards behind one of the goals in protest against a controversial penalty call for Morocco after Senegal had a goal ruled out.

The players returned, Morocco missed the penalty, and Senegal won the match 1-0 in extra time.

What are the bonds that tie Morocco and Senegal?

Morocco and Senegal have long shared close ties built on religion, trade and culture. Tijaniyyah, a Sufi Muslim order, is widely followed in both countries. Moroccan banks and companies heavily invest in Senegal’s finance and agriculture sectors. Cultural exchanges include student programs, migration and joint festivals.

But the tensions surrounding the final and CAF’s appeals court decision to overturn Senegal’s victory have put a strain on the relationship between the two countries.

Last month, 18 Senegal fans who were arrested on charges of hooliganism at the final were given prison terms of up to a year by a Moroccan court. The Senegalese government has expressed solidarity with the Senegalese supporters.

Seydina Issa Laye Diop, president of the Senegalese national team’s fan group called “12th Gainde”, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the incidents should not damage the relationship between Senegal and Morocco.

“However, there are limits: if this continues, it could somewhat affect the pride of the Senegalese people,” Diop said. “If the goal is to preserve friendship, then it must be nurtured. Small gestures can have a big impact. These are things we can move past, especially since, during the trial, no solid argument has justified the continued detention of these supporters.”

Mariama Ndeye, a student in Senegal’s capital Dakar, said the decision has negatively affected her view of Moroccans.

“When everything goes well, they call us their brothers. But when things don’t go their way, they start being nasty,” Ndeye said.

Politics and sport are rarely separated as Senegal and Morocco find out

On Wednesday, Morocco’s embassy in Dakar called on Moroccans in Senegal to “demonstrate restraint, vigilance, and a sense of responsibility.”

“It is important to recall that, in all circumstances, it is only a match, the outcome of which should never justify any form of escalation or excessive remarks between brotherly peoples,” the embassy said.

While the dispute has remained centred around the football match, bad feelings have spread more generally.

In Casablanca, home appliances business owner Ismail Fnani said he felt like other African countries were rooting against Morocco during the final.

“Honestly, my views toward Senegalese and sub-Saharan Africans changed after this,” he said. “We used to feel sympathy and help them because they were migrants who had struggled to get here. Where there was once sympathy and compassion, now I will treat them as they have treated us.”

Mohamed el-Arabi, who works in a grocery shop in Casablanca, said he did not celebrate the decision awarding Morocco the title.

“We would have preferred it to stay with Senegal because it doesn’t feel right otherwise,” El Arabi said.

“People here have started hating Senegalese. They no longer provide them with help. We used to be like brothers, especially since they are Muslims like us, but that is no longer the case,” he added.

The Senegalese government’s allegation of “suspected corruption” at CAF followed anger at perceived favouritism towards Morocco, which is a 2030 World Cup co-host and has invested heavily to become a football superpower.

On Wednesday, CAF President Patrice Motsepe defended the body against perceptions of favouritism towards Morocco.

“Not a single country in Africa will be treated in a manner that is more preferential, or more advantageous, or more favourable than any other country on the African continent,” Motsepe said in a video published on the CAF website.

Several European nations and Japan have issued a joint statement saying they would take steps to stabilise energy markets, a day after several strikes on energy facilities in the Gulf region sent oil and gas prices soaring amid the United States-Israel war on Iran.

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan issued a joint statement on Thursday expressing their “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the [Hormuz] Strait.”

They did not specify what those efforts may entail but urged for “an immediate comprehensive moratorium on attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations”.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) last week authorised a coordinated release of its members’ strategic petroleum reserves, the largest in its history, in an attempt to counter rising global energy prices. “We will take other steps to stabilise energy markets, including working with certain producing nations ‌to increase output,” the statement said.

Markets have been hammered since the start of the war on February 28, with Tehran hitting sites across the Gulf and effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil and gas flows.

European leaders have rejected demands by United States President Donald Trump ⁠to help ensure freedom of navigation in the Gulf’s key oil chokepoint by deploying warships as part of a naval coalition.

Thursday’s joint statement came ahead of a long-scheduled White House meeting between Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, aimed at burnishing the decades-old security and economic partnership between Washington and its closest East Asian ally.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said before the meeting on Thursday that he would expect that Japan, which gets 95 percent of its crude oil supplies from the Gulf, would want to ensure its supplies are safe.

Takaichi has sought to move Japan away from ⁠a pacifist constitution imposed by Washington after World War II, but with the Iran war unpopular at home, she has so far not offered to assist in clearing the Strait of Hormuz.

The Japanese prime minister told parliament on Monday that Tokyo had received no official request from the US, but was checking the scope of possible action within the limits of its constitution.

Soaring energy prices

Major economies have been scrambling to cushion the impact of soaring energy prices after the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.

Concerns were compounded on Wednesday when Iran hit the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, in retaliation for an Israeli attack on its South Pars gas field.

QatarEnergy reported “extensive damage” from Iranian missiles in Ras Laffan, which produces about 20 percent of the world’s LNG supply and plays a major role in balancing Asian and European markets’ demand for the fuel.

The company’s CEO, Saad al-Kaabi, said Iran’s attacks damaged facilities that produce ⁠17 percent of QatarEnergy’s LNG exports and that it would take ‌three to five years to repair.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said Iran’s claims that it is targeting US bases are “unacceptable and unjustified”, as the attack on Ras Laffan shows that it is targeting energy infrastructure that is vital for Qatar and the entire world.

Energy prices have soared and stocks sunk amid the region’s protracted instability, reigniting fears over global supplies and inflation as well as the likely damage to economic growth.

European gas prices were up 25 percent and Brent crude oil futures nearly 6 percent at $113 at 13:00 GMT on Thursday after briefly surging about 10 percent. European gas prices have leapt by over 60 percent since the war began on February 28.

James Meadway, co-director of the Verdant economic policy think tank, said this would not be “a temporary blip” in the prices of oil and gas.

“In addition to the Strait of Hormuz being blocked, we now have a severe disruption to the basic production of oil and gas,” Meadway told Al Jazeera.

“At this point, this looks like it will be a significant rise in those prices stretching off into the distance.”

A charming UK village has found a newfound status, thanks to celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay highlighting it as his coastal escape, with golden beaches and a booming food scene

A small UK village has been thrown into the spotlight as the nation’s most searched holiday destination, all thanks to Gordon Ramsay.

Just last month, the Netflix series Being Gordon Ramsay was released, following the celebrity chef as he opened his latest venture, comprising multiple restaurants, at 22 Bishopsgate in London. While the foot of the series showed Ramsay in a professional light, it also offered a glimpse into life at home with his family and on holiday in Cornwall.

Used as his London escape, Ramsay showed viewers around his Cornwall holiday home, set in the charming village of Rock. This prompted a surge in searches around the village, situated on the Camel Estuary in north Cornwall, with fans asking, “Where is Rock in Cornwall?” and inputting “Rock Beach Cornwall.”

READ MORE: I stayed in colourful UK city often overlooked because of its famous neighbourREAD MORE: British tourists ditch popular holiday hotspot as it’s become ‘too expensive’

Elliot Walker, editor of local travel guide Cool Cornwall, said: “We always knew Rock was pretty special. But its appearance in a top TV show has dramatically boosted its fame and appeal. It’s wonderful to see more people discovering what those of us in Cornwall have quietly cherished for years.”

It was an unusual spike in attention for the village, yet one well deserved, thanks to its stretches of golden-sand beaches, thriving food scene, and status as an uncrowded haven. It’s just across the blue waters from the holiday hotspot of Padstow, and has been hailed as one of the UK’s most beautiful coastal areas.

Thanks to its position on the Camel Estuary, with its sheltered, calm blue waters, Rock is a popular spot among sailing enthusiasts and those looking to enjoy further watersports. Often dubbed the “Saint-Tropez of Cornwall”, it’s no wonder that Ramsay has chosen the coastal destination as his holiday home retreat for years, and even purchased a staggering £9.65 million neighbouring property.

“Anyone who visits Rock will understand why Gordon Ramsay has chosen this as his out-of-London retreat. The estuary views, dune-backed sandy beaches, lovely coastal walks, watersports such as sailing and wakeboarding, as well as several great restaurants and pubs, make this a truly special place to spend time,” Elliot added.

To help prospective visitors make the most of a trip to the stunning coast of Rock, Cool Cornwall has published a local guide to the area, with the best things to see and do. From exploring Daymer Bay, rockpooling at Greenaway beach, to climbing Brea Hill and dining at celebrity chef and friend of Ramsay, Paul Ainsworth’s The Mariners restaurant, there’s more than enough to enjoy during a weekend or week escape.

Elliot noted that Rock is a “wonderfully laid-back, naturally beautiful destination with real soul”, that he hopes visitors will enjoy past its newfound celebrity status. “Rock has been quietly doing its own thing for years, and it will carry on doing so long after the cameras have moved on,” he added.

“If the documentary is what brings people here for the first time, brilliant. But we’d love them to stay a little longer, explore a little further, and leave with a genuine feel for what makes this corner of Cornwall so special.”

Cornwall, which attracts millions of visitors every year, has long been an escape for Brits seeking a seaside holiday, with promises of golden-sand beaches and turquoise waters. The county has even attracted attention from film and television productions, with the likes of Poldark and James Bond using the beautiful UK coast as a backdrop.

“Cornwall is no stranger to appearances on screen,” Elliot said. “Each time there is a boost in searches for the locations featured and an influx of visitors. Rock is simply the latest example of that.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

The football federation of Morocco says it welcomes the CAF Appeal Board decision to award it the 2025 AFCON title.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has commended the decision to award its country the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, which was stripped from Senegal.

The FRMF “welcomes the decision, which reaffirms the primacy of competition regulations and reinforces the conditions necessary for the proper conduct of international tournaments”, the federation said in a statement on Thursday.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had announced on Tuesday that its Appeal Board had awarded the tournament to Morocco, the defeated finalists, on January 18.

The final, which Senegal won 1-0 in extra time, was delayed for 14 minutes when the Senegalese players and staff returned to the dressing room in protest against the awarding of an injury-time penalty to Morocco in the second half.

When play eventually resumed, Moroccan striker Brahim Diaz missed the kick with Senegal going on to win the game thanks to Pape Gueye’s stunning strike.

“From the outset, following the incidents that led to the interruption of the match, the FRMF maintained a clear and consistent position: the strict application of the governing regulations. The Federation’s approach was solely guided by this principle,” the FRMF statement read.

“Following its appeal, CAF has now confirmed that the applicable regulations were not properly enforced.”

Morocco appealed to CAF to overturn the result immediately after the final, which descended into chaos during and after the protest, and led to a pitch invasion, which resulted in 18 Senegalese fans being handed prison sentences.

The initial appeal was rejected, and the Appeal Board decision came exactly two months after the final was completed.

“Throughout the process, the FRMF acted in full compliance with all relevant legal and procedural frameworks, with a constant focus on upholding its rights and preserving the integrity of the competition,” it said in the statement.

“This decision provides clarity on the applicable framework and strengthens the consistency and credibility of international competitions, particularly within African football.”

The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) immediately responded to CAF’s ruling by saying it would take its own appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Such a process could take as long as a year to reach a final decision.

Senegal’s government on Wednesday went on to allege corruption following the decision and called for an independent international investigation into the matter.

Callender was co-captain for last year’s two-Test series against Australia – leading the side to a historic first win Down Under – and the World Cup in England.

The 25-year-old overcame an ankle injury to feature in the tournament but then needed surgery after Wales’ early exit.

She returned for Harlequins at the end of January and it is believed to be a fresh injury and not a relapse.

Williams, who made her Test debut against Ireland in 2023, shared the captaincy duties and has been chosen as the leader for the Six Nations.

Lynn said: “Kate Williams has the respect of the whole squad, and her leadership skills means she will be Wales captain for this Six Nations campaign.”

Wales lost all five games of last year’s championship, condemning them to a second Wooden Spoon on the bounce.

Morocco were awarded the 2025 AFCON title following an appeal to CAF regarding Senegal’s walk-off protest in final.

Senegal ‌have condemned the decision to strip them of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, labelling ⁠it “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable”, ⁠and saying it casts a shadow over African football.

“The Senegalese Football Federation denounces this unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which casts a shadow over African football,” it said ⁠in a statement on Wednesday.

“To defend its rights and the interests of ⁠Senegalese football, the federation will initiate an appeal as soon as possible before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne,” it said.

Morocco were declared African champions on Tuesday after the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF’s) Appeals Board upheld their protest and ⁠found Senegal’s walk-off protest during the final on January 18 were grounds for them to be disqualified and the match result declared 3-0 in favour of the hosts.

Senegal won the final 1-0 in Rabat ⁠with an extra-time goal, but not before staging a 14-minute walk-off after a penalty was awarded against them in stoppage time at the end of the regulation 90 minutes.

The protest was instigated by coach Papa Bouna Thiaw, subsequently handed a lengthy ban, and saw Senegal’s veteran striker Sadio Mane emerge as a hero ‌as he attempted to get his teammates back onto the field.

Once Senegal returned to the pitch, the referee allowed play to continue with Morocco squandering the last-gasp penalty, and the encounter then went to extra time, with midfielder Pape Gueye netting the 94th-minute winner.

However, the Appeals Board said that by walking off, Senegal contravened tournament regulations and forfeited the game.

The Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had to intervene in 2019 when Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca walked off in the second leg of ⁠the African Champions League final, also protesting against VAR.

In that case, they refused to play on, and the referee declared opponents Esperance winners, ⁠but CAF’s executive committee then surprisingly ordered a replay. Esperance took ⁠the matter to CAS and were declared champions, with CAF embarrassingly rebuked for attempting to override the referee’s decision.

The decision by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala to continue with the AFCON final in January, rather than stop it and declare Morocco ‌winners after Senegal’s walk-off, will likely feature strongly in any arguments for a reinstatement of Senegal as champions.

The Laws of the Game state the referee’s decision is final.

“No one could have imagined such ‌a ‌statement two months after the final,” said veteran coach Claude Le Roy, who managed Senegal between 1988 and 1992.

“For years, all the refereeing decisions have been flouted by the CAF,” he said on French television.

England back row Ollie Chessum says the fear of being chased down by Louis Bielle-Biarrey, France’s free-scoring, high-speed wing, spooked him as he went in for a 60m intercept try in England’s 48-46 Six Nations defeat on Saturday.

Chessum, who scored two tries, set up a third and was England’s star performer in Paris, admitted he had “copped a lot of stick” for not scoring closer to the posts as he ran in unopposed in the 51st minute.

Fly-half Fin Smith missed the subsequent conversion from out near the left-hand 10m line and England ultimately came up just short in a 94-point epic.

“I was adamant that there was a red scrum out lurking in the background that was going to bring me down,” said Chessum.

“So I just pinned my ears back and hoped that no-one managed to grab on to my coattails and bring me to the floor.

“I’ve copped a lot of stick, I think, for not heading toward the posts. My brother’s sent me a few things, but it was unfamiliar territory for me to be in a line-break situation like that.

“I’m sure Fin would have thanked me for it being a bit closer, but I can’t turn back the clock now.”

Bielle-Biarrey, who scored four tries in France’s win, was in close attendance as Chessum picked off Matthieu Jalibert’s pass on his own 10m line, but neither he, Jalibert or full-back Thomas Ramos could tun and catch the Leicester man before the line.

Chessum’s score came as no surprise to Tigers’ coach Geoff Parling, who revealed that the 25-year-old’s top sprint speed has been clocked at 9.3 metres per second.

“As soon as he got the intercept I knew he was going to score because I know how fast he is,” said Parling.

“He moves very well for a big man.

“I thought he was exceptional against France – he kept trying to drive the team forward and that is what he does for us too.”

Chessum said England’s final-round display was an improvement but could not mask a miserable Six Nations campaign that returned only one victory from five matches and led to a fifth-place finish.

“It was a frustrating few weeks, there’s no hiding the disappointment and frustration,” he said.

“For the middle of those three weeks [defeats against Scotland, Ireland and Italy], we were nowhere near where we wanted to be and that shows in the table.

“I don’t know about it being a standard-setter, but I think [the France performance] just felt more like us and the way we wanted to play.

“It felt like the way we have played for the majority of last year.

“I suppose, from our perspective, we’d want to try and bottle that feeling as much as possible.”

Chessum landed back at London Heathrow from Paris on Sunday lunchtime and he and Leicester team-mate Jack van Poortvliet took a taxi straight to Mattioli Woods Welford Road to catch the end of Tigers’ 66-14 victory over Leicester in the Prem Rugby Cup final.

Antoine Dupont is arguably the best player of all time.

Dupont lifted back-to-back Six Nations titles on Saturday as France edged England 48–46 in an epic finale in Paris.

What eluded the 29-year-old during the early part of his international career was trophies, but that has now certainly changed.

His CV may lack a Rugby World Cup, but it continues to strengthen the debate that he is rugby’s GOAT.

Outshining the star of French rugby has not even been worth entertaining over the past few seasons.

The France captain won the player of the Six Nations in 2020, 2022 and 2023.

However, Dupont is still not long back from a nasty anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered against Ireland in round four of last year’s Six Nations.

He missed the end of that tournament and France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey rightfully took the limelight.

The 22-year-old bagged a record eight tries to win player of the championship.

Roll on 12 months and he scored four tries against England to help Les Bleus win another title, taking his tally in this year’s tournament to nine – breaking his own record.

Bielle-Biarrey, who has a strong chance of winning the player of the championship for a second successive year, has now scored in 10 straight Six Nations games, a record he will look to extend next year.

Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll is the tournament’s highest-ever try-scorer with 26 – eight clear of Bielle-Biarrey, who has only played in 14 Six Nations games.

The French flyer, who is showing no signs of slowing down, is scoring at a rate rarely seen in international rugby.

Bielle-Biarrey showed excellent footballing ability to nudge the ball in front of England’s Jack van Poortvliet for his vital fourth try.

“He is running at over 10 metres per second – the fastest player in the Six Nations – and he has the deftest of touches. Dennis Bergkamp would be thrilled with that,” former England wing Ugo Monye told BBC Rugby Union Weekly.

“He is the Erling Haaland of the rugby world. Give him the ball and he will finish.”

England’s last-gasp defeat by France will have their fans discussing certain moments for years to come, but their indiscipline throughout the Six Nations came to the fore once again – particularly at the end of both halves in Paris.

Leading 27-17 with half-time looming, Ellis Genge was sin-binned after referee Nika Amashukeli ruled the prop had dragged down a maul, soon after two quick penalties had handed momentum back to France.

“After those three penalties in less than two minutes, England then conceded 21 points including that penalty try,” former Wales and Lions captain Sam Warburton said on BBC Rugby Special.

“Then with 14 men they conceded another 14 points, so that is 21 points in that period. It was a really crucial two minutes that they got wrong.”

Then in the dying moments of normal time with England 46-45 ahead, the referee gave France the option of a penalty kick from either of two positions, following infringements by Trevor Davison and Maro Itoje.

Thomas Ramos made no mistake to secure the title for France. Speaking on Rugby Special, former Scotland captain John Barclay said that short spell will be one England will regret.

“In the final two minutes after Tommy Freeman scored, France had a player in the sin-bin. When England look at how they managed this period, they had the game in their hands and threw it away.

“It was a really disappointing end for England. It will be a really tough debriefing on how they manage those crucial moments in the final bit of the game.

“Across the championship they are the top for penalties conceded, with eight yellows and one red, and the damage it did to them – they conceded 63 points with a player off the pitch.”

Wales continue to play fixtures amid off-field turmoil, with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) not budging on their plan to cut from four men’s professional teams to three.

Tandy and captain Dewi Lake have had to be the face of Welsh rugby and have conducted themselves impeccably.

The hooker will have played his last Ospreys game before a summer move to Gloucester when the Wales squad link up again in the summer.

“That was a performance we have built towards and this group deserves it massively,” said Lake after the win against Italy.

“We have gone through a lot of emotionally tough things recently, whether that is on the field or off it.”

It remains a cause for concern as Wales build towards the World Cup, with Scarlets and Ospreys on a Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) that expires in the summer of 2027.

Tandy’s squad next take to the field against Barbarians at Twickenham in June before three Nations Championship fixtures in July against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa.

By then the WRU will have held an extraordinary general meeting, with chair Richard Collier-Keywood facing a vote of no confidence, while there is also a legal battle with Swansea Council over the future of Ospreys.

Tandy has created a positive environment for his players after outlining his approach before the campaign.

“If they’ve got something to share, if they’re seeking more clarity or anything they want to talk about then we have to be open,” he said.

“One thing we can’t do is run away from it or pretend it’s not happening.”

Tandy has allowed his players to grow in their Vale Resort bubble and will aim to keep taking everything in his stride in the summer.

Fine margins are often the difference between a title-winning side and one still building towards it.

Thomas Ramos’ last-gasp penalty to win the championship for France came after a handful of moments England will replay in their minds for a while.

Henry Pollock did brilliantly to steal the ball late on but, instead of taking contact and securing it, he tried to move it and possession was lost.

Ollie Chessum might also look back and think he could have edged a little closer to the posts to make the kick easier for Fin Smith, who himself will be frustrated at leaving points out there.

Those are the moments you write down and burn into your memory, because when they come around again – and they always do in Test rugby – you want the instinct to be automatic.

The best teams make winning those moments a habit.

Just look at South Africa at the 2023 World Cup – three knockout wins by a single point.

That is not luck. That is a team that understand exactly how to manage pressure.

England had been through a sticky spell and this performance gives them something real to build on heading into the summer.

When this squad meet up again for the tour to South Africa, there should be a real sense of belief.

They have shown they can challenge the very best teams in the world. Now it is about learning how to close out those pressure moments when they come.

Another area that will need attention is opposition analysis.

France exposed England a couple of times in the first half with tries straight from set-piece starter plays.

At this level, that is inexcusable. Louis Bielle-Biarrey chasing on to kicks through is something France have done all championship.

Those details matter. Fix them, combine that with the intensity England showed in Paris, and suddenly you have a team not just competing with the best, but capable of beating the best.

The tournament opened with Italy shocking Scotland in Rome to put Gregor Townsend under pressure.

His side then delivered an emphatic win over England at Murrayfield to end their rivals’ 12-game unbeaten run.

The pressure then mounted on Borthwick as his side were outclassed by Ireland at Allianz Stadium.

While all that was happening, France cruised past Ireland, Wales and Italy to start a narrative that anything other than a Grand Slam would be a failure.

Scotland then blew away Galthie’s side, before conceding a late flurry of tries, to head into the final round with a genuine shot of a first Six Nations title.

To add more drama into the mix, Italy overcame England in Rome to mount further pressure on Borthwick.

Wales may have lost their opening four games, but they improved as the championship went on, producing an impressive bonus-point win over Italy to end the tournament.

They finished with a third consecutive Wooden Spoon – but a first win in the championship since 2023 offered huge relief.

Despite an improved display in Paris, England finished the tournament with four defeats – their worst-ever campaign.

“It was one of the most captivating Six Nations in history, fitting it came down to one final moment of drama,” BBC rugby correspondent Chris Jones said.

The 2015 Six Nations has been regarded as the greatest tournament for entertainment because of the three-team Super Saturday title race.

It similarly went right down to the wire.

However, this year’s competition delivered from round one right to the final kick, with each nation having their own story – and surely leaps to the top of the list.

“England were blistering – their pace, their skill, their intensity, their physicality and they had a genuine chance of winning,” said former England scrum-half Matt Dawson on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I feel for the players because they are going to be down, but I want them to be super, super positive because if they carry on playing like that for the next 18 months they are going to challenge in big tournaments and big games, and they are going to win big games.”

And yet. When the adrenaline levels drop, questions will also be raised.

Should England have made victory stick?

With the restart regathered by Chessum, the ball safely at the base, Sam Underhill, Henry Pollock and Chandler Cunningham-South on their feet as a potential pod, and only two minutes left on the clock, could England have kept ball in hand and run down the clock?

Instead, Jack van Poortvliet, who had brought some zip off the bench, opted to kick the ball away and infield. Matthieu Jalibert, a broken-field fiend, accepted the invite to run back and England were back under the pump.

Closing out victories was a repeated failing in a series of close defeats in autumn 2024. It is a habit that England don’t want to reacquire.

One they definitely haven’t kicked yet is indiscipline. Only one of the 162 team campaigns in Six Nations history – Italy 2002 – has picked up more cards than England have this year.

Eight yellows, two of which combined to make Henry Arundell’s 20-minute red against Scotland, have hobbled England throughout.

Ellis Genge was dispatched to the sin-bin seat of shame in Paris, adjudged to have cynically dragged down a France driving maul that was destined for the line.

It may have been a marginal call, but, backed up to their own line, England knew the stakes were high and the punishment for any infringement would be heavy.

France raced back into the lead in the prop’s absence.

Ireland: Osborne; Baloucoune, Ringrose, McCloskey, O’Brien; Crowley, Gibson-Park; O’Toole, Sheehan, Furlong, McCarthy, Beirne, Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Kelleher, Milne, Bealham, Murray, Timoney, Casey, Frawley, Aki.

Scotland: Kinghorn; Graham, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt), Steyn; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Z Fagerson, Williamson, Gilchrist, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Ashman, Sutherland, Rae, Craig, Bradbury, Horne, Rowe, Jordan.

The pair’s exchange has become a running in-camp gag in the build-up to England’s final-round meeting with France on Saturday, with Smith, 5ft 11in, 13st 13lb and 15 caps, joking that he and Itoje, 6ft 5in, 18st 8lb, 101 caps, would settle a difference of opinion physically, rather than verbally, next time.

“I thought it was funny,” said Smith. “Me and Maro have been joking about it this week and I told him if he shouts at me like that again, I’m going to punch him!”

Itoje, usually a composed presence on and off the pitch, insisted his raised voice was not a lost temper.

“I didn’t really lose it!” he laughed. “You don’t often see me with a mic. I’m not always mic’d up but maybe I’m portraying a false image.

“Fin is my guy. The way I try to do things is to hear what my key decision-makers think of what is going on, and whoever plays 10 will obviously have an important role in that.

“It’s a good thing that people in the team feel they can express a view, and in sport, if anything, that’s the most kosher of fallouts that the world has ever seen.

“We have had far more blunt conversations between ourselves and other team-mates.”

England have had cause for frank discussions during this Six Nations after three successive defeats left their title aspirations in tatters.

Another against France would mean England finish with a return of one win from a Six Nations campaign for the first time since the tournament expanded in 2000.

England have only lost four games in a single edition of the 143-year-old championship twice previously – in 1972 and 1976.

Smith, who made his first England start in the victory over France last year at the beginning of a 12-match winning streak, is in an unfamiliar position.

WASHINGTON — Republican and Democratic senators vented their frustrations with the lack of progress in funding the Department of Homeland Security, which is resulting in more Americans enduring long lines at airports around the country. It’s a problem that is expected to intensify as the impasse enters its fourth week.

Democrats stressed they were willing to fund some of Homeland Security, but not Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as Customs and Border Protection, without changes in their operations. Republicans made clear that some of the Democratic demands were a non-starter. The result was that each party blocked the other’s proposal for temporarily resolving the standoff during an hours-long debate Wednesday on the Senate floor.

The stark divide over a shutdown that began on Feb. 14 was acknowledged by members on both sides of the political aisle.

“We are in a negotiation. However, we are not close,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said at one point. “You may think this is some issue that we think we’re going to turn to our political advantage, but I promise you, when we saw Renee Good and Alex Pretti killed, this became an issue that was beyond politics.”

“And there are a lot of us who are not going to provide resources to this agency that is acting in such a ways that makes citizens of the United States so unsafe.”

Some Republicans were just as adamant that they oppose some of the changes Democrats are seeking to make.

“Let me be clear, we are going to do nothing — nothing — that kneecaps ICE’s ability to enforce our immigration laws,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.).

Following the longest federal shutdown in the country’s history last year, Congress completed work on 11 of this year’s 12 appropriations bills. Only the bill for Homeland Security remains outstanding.

Democrats are seeking several changes at the department that include prohibiting ICE enforcement operations at sensitive locations like schools and churches, allowing independent investigations into alleged wrongdoing, requiring warrants to be signed by judges before federal agents can forcibly enter private homes or other nonpublic spaces without consent, and requiring agents to wear identification and remove their masks.

A push for more talks

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said his side has made repeated overtures to Democrats on a funding bill. He said the last offer on Homeland Security funding came from the White House nearly two weeks ago and there has been no response from the Democrats.

“Usually, around here, in order to get a deal, there has to be a negotiation where the two sides sit down together,” Thune said. “And my understanding is that has been completely rebuffed by the senator from Washington.”

The senator Thune was referring to, Sen. Patty Murray, the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she’s continued to talk with Republican colleagues, but those aren’t “real negotiations.” The White House needs to be at the table for that to occur. She said she needed assurance that Stephen Miller, the influential White House deputy chief of staff, would not upend any agreements that senators reach.

“I am willing to talk to people, but I’m not willing to sit in a room, have coffee, give away a few things and have Stephen Miller override whatever we all agree to,” Murray said. “ … We need to know the White House is serious.”

Homeland Security has been central to President Trump’s sweeping changes in immigration enforcement. Under Trump, the number of people ICE arrests and detains each month has climbed dramatically. The tactics that ICE has employed have generated alarm among Democrats, and some Republicans have also called for a more “strategic” approach.

During bipartisan negotiations earlier this year, appropriators agreed to a Homeland Security funding bill that did include more resources for de-escalation training and $20 million to outfit immigration enforcement agents with body-worn cameras. But that deal unraveled after the Pretti shooting in Minneapolis.

“My side was not going to stand down and say, ‘oh well, nothing happened,’” Murray said.

For the second time in two weeks, Murray offered a proposal to fund all of Homeland Security except for ICE and Customs and Border Protection, but Republicans objected.

Similarly, Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) offered a proposal to fund all of Homeland Security for two weeks so that federal workers could get paid and government operations could continue while the two sides negotiate their differences on immigration enforcement. This time, Democrats objected.

The result was the standoff continues, but lawmakers were at least talking to each other, perhaps one small sign of progress.

Shutdown strains air travel

The large majority of the more than 260,000 employees at Homeland Security continue to work but are going unpaid. It’s the second time in recent months they’ve had to work without pay after last fall’s record, 43-day shutdown. The most visible sign of the shutdown has been a shortage of Transportation Security Administration screeners at airports.

Houston’s secondary airport weathered the worst problems, with lines consistently lasting over three hours for much of Sunday and Monday. Passengers also had to wait more than an hour to get through security at several other airports, including in New Orleans and Atlanta.

Homeland Security in a social media post Wednesday blamed Democrats for a shutdown that “has led to HOURS long security lines at airports across the country, leading Americans to miss their spring break flights.”

Trade groups are also worried about the economic impact of the travel delays. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce called on Congress to quickly approve a funding bill and end the department’s shutdown.

“Blocking operational funding and paychecks for those who help us travel safely is wrong and strains the air travel system,” said Neil Bradley, the business group’s executive vice president and chief policy officer.

Freking writes for the Associated Press.

“I respect there’s lots of discussion around our tactical plans – when you look at the end point, look at the result and you the number of tries scored, that’s completely understandable,” said Borthwick

“I think it’s more about improving that incisiveness with our attack and getting over the try line rather than necessarily any major overhaul.

“You have an overview, a structure of ‘this is how we want to approach the different aspects of the game’, and then talk about the players bringing their points of difference.”

The day after defeat by Italy in Rome on Saturday, Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney released a statement backing Borthwick, saying he was confident that the coach and his staff would “do everything they can to deliver”.

Borthwick says that he speaks with Sweeney “at least once or twice a week” and Conor O’Shea, the RFU’s director of performance rugby, “pretty much on a daily basis”.

“Ever since I started this role back in late 2022, we have always worked very, very closely together,” Borthwick added.

“I think that I’ve always been very clear on the vision of the team, initially going very quickly into that 2023 Rugby World Cup which was just around the corner, and ever since then building through each of these competition windows since.

“We are all disappointed and frustrated.

“We came to this tournament with really high aspirations, as did the players, and we’ve been unable to meet those targets we set for ourselves.”

On the road to this point, he has lost a few warriors – Jamie Ritchie and Jamie Dobie after the Calcutta Cup and now Scott Cummings and Gregor Brown, too.

That’s a stellar cast list in the casualty unit, particularly the three forwards and especially the locks, who have been immense in Scotland’s recovery from the despondency of Rome.

Elliot Millar-Mills, previously unsung, had such a terrific impact off the bench against England and Wales that his injury can now be categorised as a blow.

In keeping with this trippy, but utterly wonderful, championship, Duhan van der Merwe is also out, a loss that would have been seen as an absolute calamity not that long ago.

Now, given his bit-part season, it’s merely regrettable but entirely salvageable. Even on his very best form it’s hard to see how he would have shifted Graham, scorer of two tries against France, and Kyle Steyn, arguably the player of the entire tournament so far.

In the four games, Townsend has started two different full-backs and three different left wings. He has changed his hooker from Italy to England, England to Wales and Wales to France – Ewan Ashman, George Turner and Dave Cherry all getting the nod at different times.

He’s had three different second-row combinations and three different back-rows. Some of this has been forced by injury.

His first three benches have had a 5-3 split before he switched to 6-2 against France, a day when Rory Darge, the brilliant flanker, ended up playing centre alongside the inspirational captain, Sione Tuipulotu.

So what now? Ireland were blown away by France, sneaked home against Italy, were utterly imperious against England and then battled to a win against Wales.

They have issues with their scrum, among other things, but they have home advantage and an astonishing win rate against Scotland.

Does Townsend have many big calls to make for such a momentous game?

All times GMT

Round 1

Ireland v England – Friday 5 February (20:10)

Scotland v Italy – Saturday 6 February (14:10)

France v Wales – Saturday 6 February (16:40)

Round 2

Italy v Ireland – Saturday 13 February (14:10)

Scotland v Wales – Saturday 13 February (16:40)

England v France – Sunday 14 February (15:10)

Round 3

Wales v Ireland – Saturday 20 February (14:10)

England v Italy – Saturday 20 February (16:40)

France v Scotland – Sunday 21 February (15:10)

Round 4

Scotland v Ireland – Friday 5 March (20:10)

Italy v France – Saturday 6 March (14:10)

Wales v England – Saturday 6 March (16:40)

Round 5

Italy v Wales – Saturday 13 March (14:10)

England v Scotland – Saturday 13 March (16:40)

Ireland v France – Saturday 13 March (20:10)

Ireland are, just about, in with a chance of the title after overcoming a gutsy Wales with a 27-17 victory in Dublin.

But their title hopes hinge on them beating Scotland and relying on out-of-form England beating France in Paris.

Ireland did not hit the heights they had reached in dismantling England two weeks earlier, digging deep for the bonus-point win they needed to keep them in the title conversation.

Wales gave a good account of themselves, and Rhys Carre can look back with pride after a spectacular solo try that saw the prop rumble over the line after a run that started outside the Ireland 22.

“Defensively, Wales were so much better and so much more physical compared to round one,” Sam Warburton told Rugby Special. “They were blown away against England but now they are competitive. They have not won in Dublin since 2012, it was always a tall order but they did well.

“They have found their centre combination, and the front five provided so much of a platform with their ball carrying and hits in defence.

“I was worried they were going to become the 30-point whipping boys but they have turned it around after round one, and I am very pleased.”

Improved performances since the 48-7 defeat by England in round one give Wales some hope of ending their run of 15 consecutive Six Nations losses in their final fixture, although they will host an Italy side buoyed by its historic win over England.

For a moment, Ireland threatened to run off into the night.

After Jacob Stockdale ended his five-year wait for an international try, Ireland celebrated a second try against Wales just 10 minutes into Friday’s Six Nations game when Jack Conan crashed over.

But the home support’s excitement at the possibility of a thumping turned to frustration when the try was ruled out for Tom O’Toole’s knock on.

It set up a nervy night for Ireland when their post-England euphoria was quickly forgotten as they set about keeping a stubborn and spirited Wales side quiet.

In their record away win over England, Ireland ruthlessly built up a 22-0 lead before the hosts replied.

On Friday, though, a hard-hitting Welsh defence stopped the hosts from building an insurmountable advantage.

And when asked for his observations, Ireland head coach Andy Farrell was quick to both praise Wales after they provided his side a more uncomfortable examination than England last time out.

“I actually thought Wales did fantastically well to stay in the game,” he said.

“Like Caelan [Doris, Ireland captain] said, if it goes to 14 points, it’s a different game you’re looking at, but they played tough, they hung on in there and kept it close on the scoreboard. I thought they were tremendous tonight.

“It was a proper Test match and for us to come away with a bonus-point win, we’d certainly take that with how the game unfolded, because it was a different game to the game that we played last time round.

“In regards to, we weren’t playing rugby on the front foot because of how well they defended, I thought they were excellent in contact and set-piece.”