“That third quarter was another step up,” Townsend added. “To continue how we were playing and to put pressure on France… we felt there were errors in them when they [go] behind and force things.”

France, in both halves, still managed some utterly gorgeous tries. Dupont crossed after a sweeping move, Thomas Ramos added two, alongside 10 points from the boot, and Oscar Jégou also got on the scoresheet, but Les Bleus were masters of self-sabotage. On their day, France are giants, but after the feeble defeat by 14-player South Africa in the autumn, they are still dogged by inconsistency. In light of this result, the pre-match complaints of Fabien Galthié, the head coach, about the size of the Murrayfield changing room, look even more misguided.

“We are disappointed because we had a [Grand Slam] mission,” Galthié said. “Only one third of the match belonged to us and that’s not enough. We knew it was possible to come here and lose. Scotland played very well.”

Dupont added: “We were indisciplined and could not get out of our own half. I didn’t have any physical worries heading into the game, but the performance just was not there.”

France may yet still end this Six Nations as champions, but it was Scotland who delivered the championship’s champion performance at Murrayfield. Six days out, Super Saturday is already living up to its name.

Match details

Scoring sequence: 5-0 Graham try, 7-0 Russell con, 7-5 Bielle-Biarrey try, 7-7 Ramos con, 7-12 Attissogbe try, 7-14 Ramos con, 12-14 Steyn try, 17-14 Schoeman try, 19-14 Russell con, 24-14 White try, 26-14 Russell con, 31-14 Steyn try, 33-14 Russell con, 38-14 Graham try, 40-14 Russell con, 45-14 Jordan try, 47-14 Russell con, 47-19 Dupont try, 47-21 Ramos con, 47-26 Ramos try, 50-26 Russell pen, 50-31 Jegou try, 50-33 Ramos con, 50-38 Ramos try, 50-40 Ramos con.

Scotland: B Kinghorn; D Graham, H Jones (Jordan 55), S Tuipulotu (capt), K Steyn (Douglas 66); F Russell, B White (Horne 63); P Schoeman (Sutherland 63), G Turner (Ashman 51), D Rae (Fagerson 39), G Brown (Gilchrist 32), S Cummings (Bayliss 51), M Fagerson, R Darge, J Dempsey.
Sin-bin Bayliss 78.

France: T Ramos; T Attissogbe, N Depoortère (P-L Barass 44), Y Moefana, L Bielle-Biarrey; M Jalibert, A Dupont (capt, Serin 69); J-B Gros (Neti 51), J Marchand (Mauvaka 44), D Aldegheri (Bamba 51), C Ollivon (Flament 44), M Guillard (Meafou 44), F Cros, O Jegou, A Jelonch (Nouchi 42).
Sin-bin Jalibert 32, Nouchi 58.

Referee: A Gardner (Australia).

Attendance: 67,144.

5. England 23-29 Scotland: 2023 Six Nations

Duhan van der Merwe hammering in to score from the darkest depths of nowhere. It still aches for many England fans. And that game could have been so different had Van der Merwe not scored. Which makes it feel special for Scots, though you could argue it is not as historically significant as their first win at Twickenham since 1983, when in 2021 Finn Russell and Van der Merwe were the standouts in an echoing, fanless HQ. But doing it in front of fans puts it in the pantheon.

YouTube star KSI watched on as his new side Dagenham & Redbridge managed to defeat National League South league leaders Dorking Wanderers

New Dagenham & Redbridge minority owner KSI celebrated wildly alongside former England international Andy Carroll after the Daggers took the lead against National League South league leaders Dorking Wanderers. The YouTuber bought a minority share in the club earlier this week and watched on from the stands at Chigwell Construction Stadium on Saturday.

2281 fans welcomed in the new era, with 321 away fans making the trip from Dorking to watch the game. It was the Daggers’ third biggest attendance of the season with an additional 1,000 supporters added on to the attendance from the previous home game against AFC Totton.

KSI was greeted by fans as he made his way into the stadium and meeting the players in the dressing room before taking his seat in the stands alongside former Newcastle, Liverpool and West Hame United striker Carroll.

READ MORE: KSI told he’s just done ‘the worst thing ever’ after investing in Dagenham & RedbridgeREAD MORE: KSI makes immediate decision after buying football club as he follows Ryan Reynolds’ lead

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The 37-year-old, who signed for Dagenham at the start of the season is currently sidelined after ungergoing surgery on a hamstring injury.

It was a tight affair in the first-half, but the Daggers scored the only goal of the game through Aramide Oteh on the hour mark, with KSI embracing Carroll as he celebrated wildly.

The hosts would see out the game and kick start KSI’s new ownership regime with a vital three points as they look to move up the National League South table.

The YouTuber took to social media to celebrate the result, and posted on X: “So proud of the boys. What a result! UP THE DAGGERS!!!!!”

It was a positive start to life for KSI but there’s an awful long way to go before he’s fulfilling his dream of taking Dagenham & Redbridge to the Premier League.

Speaking to the club’s website after buying minority shares in the club, KSI said: “I’m so excited to start this journey. It’s gonna be a rollercoaster for sure, but I hope to bring Dagenham & Redbridge back to the glory days.

“And once we reach that point, I want to go even further. Reaching the Premier League would be a dream. And I believe it is 100% doable.

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“It will take a long time, so to the Daggers fans, please be patient. I want you to know that I am fully committed to making sure Dagenham & Redbridge is a team that everyone will know worldwide, and will be an exciting team to watch and support.”

KSI will star in a new series charting “every high and low” of football club ownership, with the series to debut on his YouTube channel this summer, reaching his 17million subscribers worldwide and promoted across his socials. It will then continue into the 26/27 football season.

An Israeli operation to search for clues about a navigator who went missing 40 years ago has left dozens dead, according to Lebanese authorities.

The Lebanese army and state media said that an Israeli commando force landed on the mountains along the border with Syria before heading to the eastern town of Nabi Chit, where they clashed with Hezbollah and local fighters.

Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 41 people were killed and 40 wounded.

Lebanese army commander General Rudolphe Haikal claimed that the Israeli force was dressed in Lebanese army uniforms, and used ambulances with signs of Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Organization, during the operation.

A resident of Nabi Chit told The Associated Press that the Israeli force entered the town and dug up a grave in a cemetery before it left.

Follow live updates on the Iran war

Hezbollah said its members clashed with the Israeli force, and that Israel’s air force conducted around 40 airstrikes in the area in order for the unit on the ground to be able to withdraw.

The Israeli army’s Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on social media that the force did not find Arad’s remains.

Arad went missing after parachuting from a fighter jet that crashed in Lebanon in 1986. He had been involved in an operation against suspected Palestinian militants.

A Shiite Muslim faction called the Believers’ Resistance captured Arad alive after he landed, and released some photos of him early on before all traces of him disappeared.

Arad was believed to have been held in Nabi Chit until 1988, after which he went missing following a fierce battle between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops in the village of Meidoun, further south.

Read more:
Inside bombed Beirut – where Hezbollah makes the rules
Panic on the streets of Beirut amid fears of all-out war

Arad’s wife Tami, meanwhile, has urged Israel’s leaders not to endanger the lives of Israeli soldiers in their search for him.

“Our desire to know what happened to Ron stops the moment it endangers Israeli soldiers,” she wrote on Facebook.

“For 40 years, we have lived with the fact that Ron is missing, and we want to know what happened to Ron, but not at any price. The sanctity of life is above any closing of the circle of certainty for us.”

Adraee said the Israeli force did not suffer any casualties in the operation.

Majid Ali, 56, slapped his victim across the face, punched her and grabbed her by the throat. He also bit his victim while raping her

A violent man repeatedly raped a woman during which he “bit and chewed” on her and threatened to kill her if she did not comply. The victim said the rape had left her with “emotional scars” and nightmares about her attacker.

Majid Ali, 56, slapped his victim across the face and told her that if she told anyone about his behaviour he would kill her and “wasn’t scared of going to prison”. He punched her, grabbed her by the throat and swore at her.

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Thursday heard the defendant treated his victim “like an animal” when he raped her as she struggled and screamed for help. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.

He forcefully removed her trousers before putting his hand over her mouth, and despite her telling him she wasn’t willing, Ali said he was “going to do it forcefully”.

While raping her, he would “bite and chew” the victim on her body, and the victim described feeling in pain

The victim said she was in so much pain and discomfort she was “unable to get up in the morning”.

Ali, of Cedar Road, Newport, was later convicted of multiple offences of rape, following a trial.

The court heard he has no previous convictions.

In a victim personal statement read to the court by prosecutor Andrew Davies, the victim said: “It will take many years for me to recover… My physical health has been poor as a result of his treatment towards me. The stress which I have had to live under has given me higher blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. Whilst I didn’t have any long term physical injuries, the emotional injuries I have are going to take time to heal.

“I have suffered for a long time and this has left me with deep emotional scars. I often wake up having nightmares about (the defendant) and what he has done to me and I wake up thankful… I struggle to forget about what he’s done to me… I don’t feel confident about leaving my house and going into the community. I have such low self esteem and find it hard to go about life day to day.”

In mitigation, Josh Scouller said his client does not accept the verdicts of the jury.

The defence barrister said the defendant has always worked after moving to the UK from Pakistan, having suffered a difficult background and prior circumstances.

Having travelled from Pakistan to the UK, Ali was said to have made efforts to learn English but had struggled, which left him feeling isolated.

Sentencing, Judge Richard Kember said: “You have demonstrated no insight or remorse into the offences. You do not accept the verdicts of the jury and you still harbour resentment towards (the victim).”

Ali was sentenced to a total of 12 years imprisonment, of which he will serve two thirds in custody.

The defendant was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order.

A request for a custody shot of the defendant was made to Gwent Police but this was declined.

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Belfast will become the first location in Northern Ireland to stage the event twice

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann have announced that Belfast will host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann once more in 2027, representing the second successive year the city will stage the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture.

The announcement was made in Dublin this afternoon (Saturday 7 March) after a meeting of the Ardchomhairle of Comhaltas and arrives as Belfast gears up to host the prestigious event for the first time from 2 to 9 August this year. The thrilling news means Belfast will become the first location in Northern Ireland to stage the event on two occasions, reinforcing the city’s standing as a leading destination for major cultural festivals and international gatherings.

Organised by Comhaltas alongside Belfast City Council and Ards CCÉ, the 8-day celebration of traditional music, song, dance and language is expected to attract over 800,000 visitors thanks to its distinctive blend of All-Ireland competitions, concerts, céilís and cultural programmes.

As preparations begin for a second year in Belfast, organisers have also revealed the roster of performers who will launch the 2026 event. Legendary musician Sharon Shannon and her Big Band will take centre stage outside Belfast City Hall on Sunday 2 August.

Celebrated for her electrifying performances and genre-blending collaborations, the acclaimed accordion player will kick off an energetic week in the city alongside host Comhaltas branch, Ards CCÉ. Other performers taking to the renowned Gig Rig stage for the opening ceremony will include award-winning ensemble Goitse; former All-Ireland champions, Blackwater Ceili Band; and Belfast group McPeake.

The programme will feature an array of school choirs, alongside cross-community and multi-cultural performances delivering a day of complimentary entertainment and establishing the atmosphere for a week of multi-generational shared festivities throughout the city.

The dual announcement demonstrates the growing excitement surrounding a significant two years ahead for Belfast.

Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Paul Doherty said: “We’re delighted our city will host the Fleadh again in 2027. It’s a tremendous honour for Belfast and underscores its status as the island’s only UNESCO City of Music. It allows us to build on 2026 and further strengthen Belfast’s position as a vibrant, inclusive city that celebrates its rich cultural heritage.

“The two-year staging will deliver substantial tourism and economic impact, supporting local businesses, hospitality providers and cultural organisations. The opportunity to welcome so many artists and visitors to our city is already bringing great excitement and will no doubt add to the atmosphere and energy of the week. We look forward to sharing everything Belfast has to offer and to celebrating together.”

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann commended the partnership with Belfast City Council and their host local branch, Ards CCÉ, highlighting that the combination of world-class international venues and specialist music hubs, distinctive street settings and robust community backing had made the choice to bring the event back to Belfast a straightforward one.

Dr Labhrás Ó Murchú, Director-General of Comhaltas said: “The decision to host the Fleadh in Belfast again in 2027 reflects the scale of our ambition and the strength of our partnership with Belfast City Council. With world class stages in the Waterfront and Ulster Hall, Belfast is set to elevate the amazing performances and atmosphere of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to new heights. It’s clear the warmth of welcome that awaits in Belfast will create a natural home for the event and we look forward to celebrating our 75th milestone year in the city. We appreciate the work that Belfast City Council and Ards CCÉ have put into planning 2026 and for their 2027 bid.”

Niall McClean, Chairperson of Ards CCÉ, stated: “It’s a privilege to host the event in Belfast in both 2026 and 2027. Even before the first note has been played at Fleadh 2026, we’ve seen a remarkable surge in interest in Irish traditional music, song and dance with increased enrolment in classes particularly around Belfast. The Fleadh is more than a festival, it’s a catalyst to inspire older generations to pass on their skills and for new generations to carry these timeless traditions forward. We continue to be delighted to be part of this momentous opportunity for both our organisation and for Belfast.”

Sinn Féin MLA Aisling Reilly welcomed official confirmation that Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will return to Belfast for a second year.

“As preparations continue to mount for this year’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, it’s incredible news that it is set to return again in 2027,” she said.

“Expected to attract hundreds of thousands from across Ireland and further afield, the Fleadh will be a fantastic celebration of music, culture and language.

“As well as being an enormous social celebration, the festival will also be a significant driver for our economy.

“I look forward to the next two summers with Belfast being at the centre of celebrating all that is positive about our people, our heritage and our communities.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

A mum is facing jail after telling a ‘wicked pack of lies’ that she had been sexually assaulted by 10 men.

Stacy Sharples bragged to one of her victims she had ‘got away with it, again’ while believing police were not pressing charges against her, a court heard.

However she later admitted to falsely framing the men, none of whom were charged, including fabricating claims she had been attacked and knifed.

Sharples went to the home of her first victim, Kaylum Davies, on Boxing Day 2013, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Despite reports suggesting the mother was quiet and said nothing to Mr Davies, she phoned her brother after leaving his house claiming she was in danger and had been forced to perform a sex act.

Mr Davies denied all the claims but spent 18 months on bail. He was not charged amid concerns over inconsistencies in Sharples’ story.

Sharples also claimed to have been raped by James Blundell at a hostel in Burnage, south Manchester, the MEN reported.

After spending 17 hours in custody, Mr Blundell was released while an investigation into his conduct lasted for six months.

Sharples claimed her third victim, Astron Inman, had raped her after the two had consensual sex.

The pair had met in 2018 when Sharples added Mr Inman to a Facebook chat and sent him a picture of herself topless, saying she would like to join him for a shower.

After going to his home, she reported to police she had been violently assaulted by her ‘partner’.

Another victim, Andrew Dearden, met Sharples outside a Cash Generator store to help her sell her TV.

Sharples entered the store and phoned police to falsely allege Mr Dearden had raped her the previous night.

On another occasion, the mother met a cleared victim Reece Lockett outside a fish and chip shop, before dialling 999 saying ‘there’s a guy I got done for rape a while ago threatening to kill me’.

When he told her police were investigating her false allegations, she boasted: ‘They’re not pressing charges. I’ve got away with it. Yet again.’

Anthony Green, another victim, was falsely accused by Sharples of having ‘hurt, bitten and strangled’ her.

Sharples declined on several occasions to comply with police investigations, including refusing to be interviewed or undergo a medical examination.

After being arrested, she claimed to have emotionally unstable personality disorder, telling officers: ‘You need to look into my mental health. That’s all I need to say. You’ll never understand, I had a s*** upbringing.’

One of Sharples’ victims said in an impact statement that he had moved to Sweden to ‘reevaluate’ his life and hoped she ‘gets what she deserves’, adding he was ‘sick to my core’.

Another man falsely accused by Sharples said he had considered taking his own life, while another defendant branded her a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’.

Mark Monaghan, prosecuting, said that Sharples’ lies had cost the taxpayer as much as £120,000.

Sharples had faced 19 counts of perverting the course of justice, but only 10 proceeded to court as she had already admitted to a sufficient number to ‘reflect her overall criminality’.

Judge Nicholas Clarke KC, convicting Sharples, said she was a ‘sexual predator’ who had taken up resources that could have been used to pursue genuine criminals.

‘Only belatedly by her pleas has she now acknowledged that it was all a wicked pack of lies’, he said.

Judge Clarke added: ‘I want to make it clear to anybody that reads anything about their names anywhere, that these men’s lives have been blighted by unfortunate allegations which have been made involving some sort of sexual offending, none of which are true at all.’

Defending Sharples, Hunter Gray conceded there was no ‘satisfactory explanation’ for her false allegations, adding that a custodial sentence was inevitable.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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The awards are also known as the ‘Rural Oscars’

Two businesses in Cambridgeshire have been nominated for a prestigious award. The Countryside Alliance Awards, also known as the ‘Rural Oscars’ have returned for its 19th year and has revealed the “very best” businesses across the East of England that have been shortlisted.

There are five different categories and the businesses are judges on a range of criteria including their passion and commitment, sense of community, championing local produce, and the energy and diversity of their business. The vote is now open to the public to help support their favourite business and help them win their category and reach the next stage.

The Longhorn Farm Shop, which can be found just outside of Cottenham, has been nominated for the best for local food and drink. The family-run business is known for providing “a wide variety of high-quality products” including meat items such as traditional Longhorn beef that is sourced from the Brookfield Herd at the Cuckoo Hill Farm.

Alongside its butchers, there is also a shop that sells sweet treats, sauces, fresh fruit, and juices as well as ready meals that are prepared on-site. After shopping around, you can visit the Coffee Hut for a hot drink and homemade cake while enjoying the views of the countryside.

The Elton Village Store is up for the best village store or post office award. Found on Middle Street in the quaint village of Elton, the store has already won the award before in 2023.

The store offers a range of essential items for those living in the village including fresh bread and butchers quality meat. The shop also stocks plenty of vegan and gluten free products as well as fruit and vegetables from the local area.

Sarah Lee, Director of Policy and Campaigns at the Countryside Alliance, said: “Once more, we have been blown away by the number of nominations this year. So many amazing businesses have been sent in by the public. Every business has an important story to tell – it’s so important that they are recognised. The secret to the Rural Oscars’ popularity is that they honour the people involved in these businesses, and not just their produce or services. At this critical time for so many rural businesses, it is vital we all show our support in whatever way we can. We encourage as many people as possible to get voting. When you have voted, please share the link with friends and families.”

To vote for your favourite businesses that have been shortlisted, you can visit the Countryside Alliance website.

It has been a week of war in the Middle East, sparked by the US and Israel launching strikes on Iran.

But the US-Iran rivalry didn’t start then – it has been a fractious relationship for decades, spanning several US presidents.

In our latest episode of Sky News Explains, Olive Enokido-Lineham looks at the key moments in US-Iran history, examines the complicated geopolitics of the region, and tries to find out how it could all end.

Watch the full episode at the top of this article.

Before re-launching Sky News Explains, Olive specialised in verification and open-source investigations (OSINT). Her stories include investigations into the war in Gaza, to verifying videos from Ukraine and Syria.

Olive also produced the Sky News documentary Escaping Putin, which follows a Russian soldier who fled from the army.

Jen Carney is the author of acclaimed series such as ‘The Accidental Diary of B.U.G’ and ‘The Day My…’, which includes titles like ‘The Day My Dog Got Famous’ and ‘The Day My School Got Famous’.  

Jen, who is originally from Bolton, returned to her hometown last week (February 28) to talk to children about her books, reading, and of course, play a few fun games.

The talk was held at Bolton Central Library in the town centre.

Jen delivering the talk (Image: Newsquest)

She told the children how she used to come to the library “lots” when she was younger, discovering different authors and worlds, as well as staring in awe at the wonderful fish in the aquarium.

Jen then ran a couple of games for children to participate in, including making words out of their initials and others.

She said: “I think if you can catch somebody at this age group, around seven to eight, and get them really interested in books and reading, you can start a habit you have for life, which is a really important thing to do.

“When you read for pleasure as a child, there are really positive long-term effects.

A Bolton children’s author spoke about the importance of reading (Image: Newsquest)

“I grew up in Heaton and went to St Thomas of Canterbury Primary School. Heaton Library was around the corner.

“[Bolton Central Library] was a special trip to the big library. I used to absolutely love going; they are really special memories.”

To learn more about Jen and her books, see her website: https://jen-carney.com/

The former teacher added that, because her family didn’t have much money growing up, it was a great source of free entertainment, with “new stories every week”.

Reflecting on the talk, Jen said: “I think it went really, really well. There were lots of people here, families, and people came from different areas, not just from Bolton.

“It is really nice to see people here.”

Scott Brassell faced a trial listed for up to three days at Durham Crown Court this week.

The 44-year-old defendant, of James Court, previously denied charges of unlawful wounding of a man and the alternative of wounding with intent.

He also denied making knife threats to the man and a woman, in Porter Close, Newton Aycliffe, on the same day, Wednesday June 5, 2024.

Formal ‘not guilty’ verdicts recorded at Durham Crown Court in case of Darlington man accused of wounding and knife threat charges (Image: The Northern Echo)

But when the case was called into court, Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the Crown’s only witness failed to attend court as far back as March, last year.

He said the last time the witness was seen was in April last year when he made a retraction statement relating to the original allegation, after which contact was lost, as the Crown only has an old address.

Mr Dodds said the Crown do not now know where the witness is and so the case has been reviewed.

Read next … more court stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here

He added that he has now been instructed to offer “no evidence” on all three counts.

Judge Nathan Adams, therefore, recorded formal “not guilty” verdicts on each of the three charges.

He told the defendant: “The Crown is not in a position to bring evidence and, so, not guilty verdicts will be recorded in this matter.”