Sat on high in a Roman colosseum, Steve Borthwick looked around to see his empire in decay. If defeats to Scotland and Ireland could be in part explained away as two off-days, a historic loss to Italy represented a new Six Nations low for England – and worse could still be to come.
If there could be no shame in losing to this ever-improving, ever more believing Italy, there could be shame again in the manner in which it happened – an eight-point lead squandered, a game in their grasp let slip by a side that had seemed to have put that sort of thing behind them. England looked ill-disciplined, ill-prepared and inaccurate – the very opposite of the side Borthwick has sought to forge. Even the great Roman emperor Aurelian would struggle for a solution to this crisis.
Maro Itoje led England to a first-ever defeat against Italy (Getty)
“We have to face the facts and face reality,” Maro Itoje told ITV. To extend some meagre credit to Borthwick, he had tried contrasting approaches in response to the two prior losses; first sticking, then twisting, but finding neither delivered the desired impact. Having talked up England’s depth throughout the 12-match winning run that had made them Six Nations contenders, it has been found desperately wanting.
Advertisement
The unthinkable question now for the Rugby Football Union (RFU) is whether drastic change is required. That may not – and probably should not – necessarily mean that Borthwick’s job is in peril, with senior figures from the union recently emphasising as much to The Independent. But results like this, however improved Italy are, can burst beyond the rugby bubble – to the casual watcher, who might have missed much of last year’s good times and still know the hosts as Six Nations stragglers, this will have felt like something very, very bad. There is also a sense that the English rugby public at large find Borthwick’s somewhat insipid public-facing persona not to their taste.
England have now lost three games in a row as their Six Nations campaign has collapsed (AFP/Getty)
“The RFU, myself, Conor O’Shea [director of performance rugby] and Bill Sweeney [chief executive] speak regularly and discuss the vision of the team going forward,” Borthwick said. “We know the team have accelerated its development over the last 12 months and also understanding that right now in this Six Nations there are going to be some tough challenges ahead, and clearly, we have not got results in those challenges we have wanted.
“The team’s growth in the last 12 months has been very, very strong, and you can see the vision of where the team is going to be, and you see the players coming through. Right now, this is a tough period, but what we will do is learn from it and make sure we are stronger going forward. It is tough right now and we are not hiding away from the fact it is tough. We are not where we want to be in terms of results and in terms of performances.”
Advertisement
The Red Roses under Steve Borthwick have been found desperately wanting (Getty)
As Itoje emphasised, though, the group of players must take their share of the blame, too. If it was no great look for the England captain to be caught fiddling at a maul while Rome burned, it continued a theme of the tournament of Borthwick’s leaders letting him down.
“It’s on us as players,” the captain stressed. “We have to wear the performance. This team over the last year have put some good performances together; of recent, we haven’t. We are in a results-based business, and the result wasn’t good enough. As players, and as captain, I take responsibility for that.”
Another mid-cycle change is not at all in the RFU’s planning, not least because of the financial hit and considerable upheaval it suffered after the defenestration of Eddie Jones. Borthwick and his employers would probably, and rightly, point to last year’s run of wins as still considerably outweighing the three defeats that have followed. But the Six Nations matters most to all European nations. “We haven’t become a bad team overnight,” has been a common refrain in camp of late. Perhaps England have.
Advertisement
It may get worse, of course, before it gets better. Beyond Paris comes the Springboks in Johannesburg, an arduous trip at the best of times made harder by the fact that it will come at altitude, at the end of a long campaign in which some of England’s most experienced players are already struggling. Further Nations Championship games in Liverpool (against Fiji) and Santiago del Estero (against Argentina) will strain minds and bodies further – and not just those of the logistics managers.
England’s discipline during this championship has been woeful (Adam Davy/PA Wire)
Because there can be no question that something is broken with England now, trapped in their malaise. To fail to see a reaction two weeks running, to fall short of the high performance standards demanded of this competition for three, suggests that there is something larger to be solved.
Were the players pushed too hard pre-tournament when they spoke of an upping of training intensity? Must Borthwick move on from senior leaders who had served him well in 2025 and look to the future? Might more changes be made to a volatile coaching team that had, at last, seemed to be nearing a state of solidity? Certainly, a gameplan that has been figured out is in need of tweaking, with a return to their kick-heavy ways failing to bear enough fruit.
Advertisement
The seven days they have to prepare for a France backlash, and a date at a disorienting discotheque with silverware on the line, is no time to consider these questions.
A jubilant Italy celebrated a historic win over England (PA Wire)
Scotland, so impressive in a 90-point epic win over Les Bleus, are evidence of how quickly the wheel can turn, but Gregor Townsend got the reaction he commanded after defeat in Rome. So, too, Andy Farrell after Ireland’s no-show in Paris. It is fair to question why Borthwick has not impelled the same.
“We want England fans flooding across the Channel to Paris to come and watch the team in a massive encounter on the final round with the opportunity to achieve what we want,” Borthwick had somewhat hubristically declared ahead of this tournament. Instead, he may be coaching for his future.
Manchester City will return to Wembley later this month for the FA Cup semi-final
19:54, 05 Apr 2026Updated 20:10, 05 Apr 2026
Advertisement
Manchester City will face Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final later this month. The Blues will take on the Saints at Wembley on either Saturday, April 25 or Sunday, April 26.
Southampton dramatically knocked out Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday night, beating Mikel Arteta’s side 2-1 in arguably one of the shocks of the competition so far.
Ross Stewart opened the scoring ten minutes before half-time with Viktor Gyokeres equalising for Arsenal with 22 minutes left to play. Former City youngster Shea Charles netted a dramatic winner five minutes from time, though, to deal Arsenal back-to-back cup blows after Pep Guardiola’s men beat them in the Carabao Cup final before the international break.
City, meanwhile, booked their place in the last four after a comfortable victory over Liverpool on Saturday. Erling Haaland opened the scoring from the spot after Nico O’Reilly was fouled by Virgil van Dijk.
Advertisement
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
On the stroke of half-time City doubled their lead as Antoine Semenyo’s cross was headed in by Haaland. Semenyo added his name to the scoresheet shortly after the break to seal the victory, and there was still time for Haaland to complete his hat-trick as he tapped in O’Reilly’s low cross to make it 4-0.
The Blues are now favourites to win the FA Cup after Premier League leaders Arsenal were knocked out on Saturday night. City remain in the hunt for a domestic treble.
Having already won the Carabao Cup, the Blues need to eat up a nine-point gap to leaders Arsenal in the Premier League title race. City have a game in hand on the Gunners and will host them in a couple of weeks in a potentially title-deciding game.
Advertisement
The lineup for the semi-finals of the FA Cup was confirmed after Leeds United’s dramatic penalty shootout win at West Ham United on Sunday Afternoon. After City dispatched of Liverpool on Saturday, Chelsea and Southampton beat Port Vale and Arsenal respectively.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez looks set to get an immediate opportunity to win back one of the world titles he lost to Terence Crawford in September last year.
While the WBO and IBF still remain vacant, Jose Armando Resendiz now holds the WBA, and the WBC – who actually stripped Crawford days before his retirement – has upgraded Christian Mbilli to full champion.
Advertisement
Mbilli is the man expected to face Canelo in his September comeback fight, currently booked for Saudi Arabia, though the location may change due to the war in the Middle East.
Responding to a fan on X, Crawford backed Alvarez to become champion once more if things play out that way.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan O’Hearn homered and matched a career high with four RBIs as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 on Sunday to sweep a three-game series and extend their winning streak to five.
O’Hearn hit a two-run shot to right-center in the first inning. In the second, his two-run double highlighted a four-run outburst as the Pirates pushed their lead to 6-0.
Advertisement
Oneil Cruz made it 8-1 with a two-run homer to center field in the sixth. He also singled home a run in the second.
Advertisement
Cruz’s homer came off left-hander Cade Povich. The center fielder is 7 for 10 with three homers against lefties after going 11 for 108 with one homer last season.
That was plenty of support for Braxton Ashcraft (1-1), who allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He had a career-high eight strikeouts and no walks.
Pirates starters have given up two earned runs or fewer in each of their eight games since 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes was tagged for five runs while only getting two outs against the New York Mets on opening day.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Orioles starter Chris Bassitt (0-2) was roughed up for six runs in two innings. Signed to an $18.5 million, one-year contract as a free agent just before spring training, the right-hander has given up 10 runs over 6 1/3 innings in two starts.
Pete Alonso had an RBI double and Taylor Ward got three hits for the Orioles, who lost for the fifth time in six games.
Up next
Orioles: Were undecided on a starter for Monday night when they open a three-game road series against the Chicago White Sox and Erick Fedde (0-1, 5.40 ERA).
Pirates: Begin a three-game home series with San Diego on Monday night as rookie RHP Bubba Chandler (0-0, 0.00) faces RHP Germán Márquez (0-1, 12.00).
Mar 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown (58) pitches against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
The Houston Astros placed ace right-hander Hunter Brown on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a right shoulder strain.
The move was retroactive to Thursday.
Brown finished third in American League Cy Young Award balloting last season. He is 1-0 with an 0.84 ERA in two starts this season, striking out 17 in just 10 1/3 innings.
Brown, 27, last pitched Tuesday when he defeated the Boston Red Sox. He gave up one run and one hit and struck out eight against two walks in six innings.
Advertisement
There was no immediate word on how long Brown might be sidelined. Houston announced the move before manager Joe Espada met with reporters prior to the club’s Sunday afternoon road game against the Athletics.
Brown made the AL All-Star team for the first time last season when he went 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA in 31 starts. He struck out a career-high 206 and posted a stellar 1.03 WHIP.
He is 37-31 with a 3.44 ERA in 102 appearances (94 starts) since reaching the majors in 2022.
The Astros promoted right-hander Christian Roa from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. He had a 6.75 ERA in two relief appearances for Houston earlier this season.
Advertisement
The 27-year-old pitched one scoreless inning of relief in his lone outing for Sugar Land this season.
Gerry Harvey, the owner-breeder and entrepreneur, offered a timely advisory to yearling buyers when two passed-in horses from his stock notched feature victories one after another at Randwick.
Part of the ownership for Campione D’Italia involves Harvey with an elite partnership including Newgate Bloodstock owned by Henry Field, and the colt had also been passed in at sales.
“I passed it in, and Henry Field and I had a talk. I said, ‘I want six hundred (thousand dollars) mate’, and he said, ‘I’ll give you five hundred’ and I said, ‘get lost’. Then I thought I better do it,” Harvey said.
Advertisement
“It’s a very exciting day because we just had the country winner as well. We passed it in for $25,000. No-one wanted it.
So if you want to buy a horse from my horse studs, always buy the passed-in ones. Never buy in the ring. You’ll do much better buying a passed-in one.”
Campione D’Italia, by Snitzel, elevated his stallion value via the Group 1 conquest, extending from a powerful fourth in the Golden Slipper (1200m) closing from the rear.
The horse’s trainer, Chris Waller, highlighted the enhanced starting position and steady improvement as decisive.
Advertisement
“Today was his fourth career start and each run has got a little bit better, a little bit better,” Waller said.
“His run in the Golden Slipper was amazing. He just got too far back. It was no-one’s fault, and the horse is just learning all the time.
He got a lovely draw today, and that was the difference between having him in the firing line or going back like he was last start.
It was good to see him knuckle down and get the job done.”
Advertisement
A next step could be the Champagne Stakes (1600m) for Campione D’Italia, emulating stablemate Militarize who achieved it three years back after Sires’.
“Militarize, he won the Sires’ and then he won the Champagne, so I’ll have a talk to the team and see what they suggest,” Waller said.
“We’ve got to nurse him a little bit, so we’ll see how he comes through it.”
At $4.20, Campione D’Italia held off Miss Chanel ($15) by three-quarters of a length, followed identically by stablemate Fireball ($18) in third.
Advertisement
The Champagne Stakes is on the table for Fireball subject to how he pulls up.
Be a Lucky Block is a tycoon-based simulation game where you play as a block running on a treadmill. NPCs will chase and break you open, revealing a Brainrot. Your objective is to escape their plans and return to your base to store the Brainrot, allowing you to earn revenue. The new Be a Lucky Block update added a new plot skin called Stranger base to the game. You can acquire it once you have collected all Brainrots from the Ink and Alien Events.
This article covers everything about the Strange Base in Be a Lucky Block.
Everything about the Stranger Base skin
The Stranger Base skin (Image via Roblox)
To get this alluring skin in the title, you will have to collect all 10 Brainrots from the Ink and Alien Events. The Luminous base skin featured a similar requirement to this. Since this Roblox experience now has four events that take place every four hours, it is going to be challenging to acquire specific Brainrots, as the run time of these events is very short. Hence, the only way to complete this feat is by joining the game at regular intervals and keeping note of the next event’s timer.
Advertisement
To avoid confusion, it is worth mentioning that all base skins in Be a Lucky Block do not provide any perks or buffs to the game and are just mere cosmetics, meant to elevate the look of your plot. Here are the Brainrots you will need to get the Stranger Base in this title:
Alien Event units:
Spaceshipini Tortini: 50%
Astro Bandito: 40%
Chachelien: 9%
Aliensini Octosini: 0.95%
La Vacca Galactica: 0.05%
Ink Event units:
Glorbo Inkdrillo: 50%
Inknina Bombardino: 40%
Ink Din Din Dun: 9%
Cavallo Inkuoso: 0.95%
La Vacca Singolarita: 0.5%
How to get the Ink and Alien Brainrots?
To get the Ink and Alien Brainrots, you will need to venture into the treadmill, where there’s a 40% chance of getting caught by an NPC. After getting caught, you get caught, wait for the bosses to break the Block to reveal the Brainrot. Only then should you escape the plot through the portal to get back to the safe zone. Note that your chances of getting them increase during an Admin Abuse event.
FAQs on Be a Lucky Block
How do you unlock the Stranger Base in Be a Lucky Block?
To unlock the Stranger Base skin in Be a Lucky Block, players must collect all 10 Brainrots from the Ink and Alien Events.
Do base skins provide any gameplay advantages in Be a Lucky Block?
No, base skins in Be a Lucky Block are purely cosmetic, and they do not provide any boosts, perks, or gameplay advantages.
Advertisement
How to get Ink and Alien Brainrots?
The best way to obtain Ink and Alien Brainrots is to participate in the treadmill while an event is active and let these NPCs capture your Lucky Block and break it to reveal a Brainrot. After the Brainrot appears, you must escape through the portal to safely return to your base to get it.
NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru continued their dream run in IPL 2026 with a commanding 43-run victory over Chennai Super Kings at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, powered by a sensational batting display and timely strikes with the ball.Put in to bat, RCB endured a cautious start on a slightly tacky surface, going boundary-less in the first three overs. Virat Kohli looked the most assured early on, while Phil Salt gradually found his rhythm. The innings gained momentum after the PowerPlay, with Salt (46) and Devdutt Padikkal stitching a crucial stand.
Watch
Shami reveals what makes this LSG team special after big win
Padikkal then took charge, compiling a fluent 50 off 29 balls to anchor the innings.However, the real carnage unfolded in the death overs. Following Padikkal’s dismissal, skipper Rajat Patidar joined forces with Tim David, and the duo unleashed a brutal assault. David was particularly destructive, smashing an unbeaten 70 off just 25 balls, including eight towering sixes. Patidar played the perfect foil with a blistering 48* off 19 deliveries as RCB surged to a massive 250/3.In reply, CSK’s chase got off to a shaky start. Jacob Duffy struck early to remove both Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Ayush Mhatre to leave them reeling. Despite the early setbacks, Sarfaraz Khan launched a stunning counterattack, racing to a 24-ball fifty and propelling CSK to 77 in the PowerPlay.Just when CSK looked to rebuild, Krunal Pandya turned the game on its head, dismissing Sarfaraz with his very first delivery and removing Kartik Sharma soon after. A spectacular one-handed catch by Jitesh Sharma to dismiss Shivam Dube further dented the chase.Though Prashant Veer (43) and Jamie Overton (37) offered resistance, the required rate kept climbing. Bhuvneshwar (3/41) and Krunal (2/36) ensured regular breakthroughs, while Suyash Sharma impressed with his control.CSK were eventually bowled out for 207 in 19.4 overs, falling well short. With this emphatic win, RCB not only extend their winning streak but also reinforce their status as early title contenders. On the other hand, CSK now find themselves at the bottom of the table with three back-to-back defeats in the new season. Brief score: RCB 250/3 (20 overs) beat CSK 207 all out (19.4 overs) by 43 runs
Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side Kun Khalifat FC have announced the death of their team manager, Ekpemadu Chigioke.
The sad news was shared by the Imo State-based club on their official social media handle on Sunday, April 5, 2026.
In a short statement, the club wrote:
Advertisement
“Farewell, Our brother Ekpemadu Chigioke ️
Your passion as the team manager and player, dedication, and impact will never be forgotten.
Rest in peace… till we meet again.
Advertisement
#ThePrideOfImo | #WeAreKunKhalifatFC”
The cause of his death was not disclosed by the club.
Chigioke’s passing is a big blow to Kun Khalifat FC, especially as the team is set to face Nasarawa United in an NPFL away match later on Sunday.
Tributes have already started to pour in from fans, players, and members of the football community, who have described him as a committed and passionate figure in the club.
Lola Vice competes against Kendal Grey during NXT at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 31, 2026.(Rich Freeda/WWE)
The match was fast-paced and featured hard-hitting action as all competitors tried to make quick work of each other.
Grey and Vice quickly picked up where they left off on Tuesday night. The two grappled for control and tried to get quick pins on each other after throwing Jayne out of the ring. No woman had the upper hand in the very beginning, but the match quickly moved outside the ring. Jayne threw Grey into the stairs while Vice hit a Meteora on the champ to take advantage.
Jayne came in with some momentum. She already defeated Grey and Vice in the past. She had her Toxic Influence stablemates, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid, on the outside of the ring and in her corner. Grey also had the backing of Wren Sinclar, while Vice only had herself.
Advertisement
Jayne tried her darndest to keep it a one-on-one match, tossing either Grey or Vice out of the ring to keep the numbers even inside of it. She showed her veteran abilities often throughout the match.
Kendal Grey competes against Lola Vice during NXT at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 31, 2026.(Rich Freeda/WWE)
But Grey, who won the Iron Survivor Challenge when she was still the Evolve women’s champion, would not be beaten down – neither would Vice. The Cuban American pro wrestler used her own mixed martial arts background to keep her opponents at bay.
Just as Jayne thought she was going to get a pin on Grey, Vice – who was on the outside of the ring – put Grey’s foot on the rope to break the count. Toxic Influence got into the mix, but Sinclar hit a crossbody on the outside and sent Jayne’s partners running.
Advertisement
Vice tried to put Grey into a sleeper. Jayne forced Grey out of the ring. Vice hit Jayne with a spinning backfist and pinned Jayne for the win.
It is Vice’s first title reign and she becomes a double champion with the victory as she also holds the AAA world mixed tag team championship with Mr. Iguana. She’s the first Cuban American female to hold the women’s championship in NXT.
NXT women’s champion Jacy Jayne addresses the crowd during NXT’s Vengeance Day on March 7, 2026, in Orlando, Florida.(Conor Kvatek/WWE via Getty Images)
Vice made her NXT debut in 2023 and earned her first title shot after winning the NXT Breakout Tournament.
The Boston Celtics trade-deadline acquisition will be back in the lineup on Sunday.
Centre Nikola Vucevic will return against the Toronto Raptors (3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+), the team announced.
Vucevic has been sidelined since suffering a fractured right ring finger against the Dallas Mavericks on March 6. He required surgery to repair the fracture.
The 35-year-old Montenegrin averaged 10.4 points and 21.7 minutes in 12 games with Boston after coming over from the Chicago Bulls.
Advertisement
The Celtics sit second in the Eastern Conference and have already clinched a spot in the postseason.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login