Rugby

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The Super Rugby season is only five rounds old. Yet, with less than a third of the regular season over injuries are already becoming a major factor.

ROME (AP) — Ireland overcame Italy by a scrappy 22-17 at the Stadio Olimpico and finished the last day of the Six Nations where it started, in third place.

PARIS (AP) — France saw off a resilient Scotland 35-16 and clinched the Six Nations title with a tournament-try record on Saturday. Coach Fabien Galthié's side needed only a victory at chilly Stade de France to ensure a first title since 2022.

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — England consigned ailing rival Wales to a 17th straight loss with a record 10-try 68-14 drubbing to finish the Six Nations on Saturday. England ended up second, its highest finish since it was the 2020 champion.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Crusaders winger Macca Springer tied the Super Rugby single game try-scoring record Saturday when he scored five tries in his team’s 55-33 win over the Western Force.

LANGFORD, B.C. — Coach Dean Murten has named his 28-player Canadian under-20 women’s rugby squad for a tour of Ireland in May. The young Canadians will play their Irish counterparts on May 10 and May 17 at the IRFU High Performance Centre in Dublin.

PARIS (AP) — France enters the Six Nations finale against Scotland with the title at stake and a host of records up for grabs at Stade de France on Saturday.

LONDON (AP) — France will try to win the Six Nations without its talisman after captain Antoine Dupont ruptured cruciate ligaments in his right knee at the weekend.

LONDON (AP) — England kept alive its Six Nations rugby title hopes by running in seven tries in a bonus-point 47-24 win over Italy at Twickenham on Sunday that extended its perfect all-time test record against the Azzurri.

France rugby captain Antoine Dupont ruptured cruciate ligaments in his right knee during the win over Ireland in the Six Nations, denying the superstar scrumhalf the chance to potentially lead his team to the title next weekend.