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England match seen as crucial for Scotland’s revival

Scotland’s centre Huw Jones expressed feelings of anger and frustration following the loss to Italy, but he now sees the upcoming match against England on Saturday as an ideal opportunity for his team.

In Rome, Huw Jones found himself stifled by Italy's defensive efforts on a rain-soaked pitch.

Jones has little recollection of the number of times he touched the ball during Scotland's match against Italy last Saturday, but he acknowledges it was limited.

He recalls having a few opportunities in the closing minutes, particularly during the 29 phases that ultimately yielded no results, but for the most part, the game passed him by.

Despite being designed to attack, Scotland's backline failed to make a single line break against Italy, a feat no other team achieved on the opening weekend, and a first for Scotland in many years.

The rarity of zero line breaks is notable, even in adverse weather conditions, such as the 2020 Calcutta Cup in Edinburgh, where Scotland managed three line breaks despite the rain, whereas Italy made six line breaks in Rome.

Jones views the upcoming Calcutta Cup as an ideal opportunity for redemption, with Scotland facing England at Murrayfield, a venue that has historically favored the home team.

Having played in seven Calcutta Cups, with four wins and three losses, and scoring six tries, Jones recognizes that the current England team may be the strongest he has faced, including the 2017 team that defeated Scotland 60-21 at Twickenham.

Jones expressed that the team is eager to make amends for their loss, citing pent-up frustration and energy, which will drive them to perform better against England.

Jones stated that regardless of the outcome, he would have felt unfulfilled due to the limited opportunities he had, and this week's match provides a chance to showcase their capabilities.

Questions have been raised about whether Gregor Townsend has exhausted his tenure.

On Tuesday, Jones was tasked with media duties, fielding questions about the Rome match.

Jones described the changing room atmosphere after the 18-15 loss as one of the most challenging he has experienced, with the team struggling to come to terms with their defeat.

He noted that the sense of dejection was palpable, with everyone feeling deflated after the loss.

Jones elaborated on the emotional stages the team went through, including fatigue, confusion, frustration, and anger.

According to Jones, the anger typically sets in on the Sunday after a loss, at which point the team conducts a clinical review of their performance, setting aside emotions to focus on improvement.

Jones emphasized that the team is not shying away from their mistakes, but rather, using them as motivation, while also acknowledging that the public may not have access to the same information and may be left wondering about the team's progress.

As a professional rugby player, Jones recognizes the importance of putting emotions aside and getting back to work, using the frustration as fuel for the next match.

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Italy's win over Scotland has increased pressure on Townsend.

Jones implied that while the loss has been analyzed, the team has not yet moved on from it.

He discussed the team's efforts to gain good field position, only to be hindered by poor discipline, which led to a reversal of fortunes, a pattern that repeated itself.

Jones found these setbacks difficult to accept, acknowledging that the team needs to improve their execution when in a favorable position.

He attributed the team's struggles to a lack of execution rather than psychological factors, highlighting the need for improvement in this area.

Jones reflected on the first 20 minutes of the match, where Italy capitalized on two chances, scoring within three phases, while Scotland failed to capitalize on their own opportunities, including two lost attacking lineouts in Italy's 22.

This week, the team is working to block out the negative sentiment surrounding them, aware that England will be seeking to exploit this.

Jones recognizes that England, despite their recent successes, may also be feeling pressure, and that the match will be fiercely contested.

He praised England's current squad, noting their well-rounded game, which combines a dominant pack with skilled athletes and effective ball-players.

Jones views the upcoming match as a challenging prospect, but one that his team is ready to face head-on.

For Jones and his teammates, the Calcutta Cup presents an opportunity to redeem themselves in front of their home crowd.

Townsend faces numerous questions ahead of the Calcutta Cup.

The pressure is mounting on Townsend after the disappointing loss in Rome.

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Spielberg Contributes $25,000 to Van Der Beek’s $2 Million Crowdfunding Campaign

The relatives of the deceased actor, known for his role in Dawson’s Creek, have expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the $2m fund.

A donation of $25,000 (£21,000) has been made by film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, to a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $2m (£1.6m) for the family of late actor James Van Der Beek.

James Van Der Beek wearing a maroon dickie bow while smiling for the cameras on arrival at the 2019 Emmy Awards — James Van Der Beek's character Dawson was a famous fan of filmmaker Spielberg

Van Der Beek, who passed away at the age of 48, is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children, and the crowdfunding effort to support his family has now exceeded its initial target of $2m.

Other notable donors include Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldana, who contributed $2,500 (£2,108), and director Jon M Chu, who gave $10,000 (£8,432) to the cause.

A statement from the organizers of the fundraiser, Friends of the Van Der Beek family, expressed gratitude to all contributors, stating that their support is deeply appreciated.

The statement highlighted the significance of the donations, saying that the kindness shown by contributors is beyond words.

It also noted that the outpouring of support has been a source of comfort during a difficult time, serving as a reminder of the power of love, community, and the enduring legacy of James Van Der Beek.

Van Der Beek was perhaps best known for his starring role in the popular US teen drama series Dawson's Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003, although he remained associated with the show until 2023.

Although Van Der Beek and Spielberg never collaborated on a project, the late actor's character in Dawson's Creek was a fan of Spielberg's work, with posters of films like ET and Schindler's List featured in his bedroom.

At a Dawson's Creek cast reunion event last year, Spielberg paid tribute to Van Der Beek by sending a video message.

In the message, Spielberg said, "Dawson, you made it," and jokingly added that he hoped to one day have a room like Dawson's, filled with memorabilia from his films.

Van Der Beek passed away on Wednesday after a battle with bowel cancer.

Steven Spielberg arrives for the 98th Oscars Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, USA, 10 February 2026 — Spielberg made a surprise video appearance at last year's Dawson's Creek reunion

He had been dealing with the diagnosis since August 2023 and publicly disclosed his condition in November 2024.

The GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the family with medical expenses, which had depleted their funds.

The statement from the organizers concluded by saying that the family is currently taking time to grieve and be together, and thanked everyone for their compassionate and generous support in honoring James Van Der Beek's life.

News

Zimbabwe Shocks Australia with Muzarabani’s Exceptional Performance

Zimbabwe secured a stunning 23-run victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup, with Blessing Muzarabani playing a key role by taking 4-17.

In the current T20 world rankings, Zimbabwe occupies the 12th position.

The Men's T20 World Cup is underway in Group B at Colombo.

Zimbabwe's innings concluded at 169-2 after 20 overs, with Bennett scoring an unbeaten 64 off 56 deliveries, while Green claimed 1-6.

Australia's reply ended at 146 after 19.3 overs, as Renshaw top-scored with 65 off 44 balls, and Muzarabani took 4-17.

The match resulted in a 23-run victory for Zimbabwe.

A standout performance from Blessing Muzarabani, who took 4-17, helped Zimbabwe secure a thrilling 23-run win over Australia in the T20 World Cup.

After being set a target of 170, Australia found themselves in trouble at 29-4, but a 77-run partnership between Matthew Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell for the fifth wicket gave them hope.

With 34 runs needed from the last two overs, Renshaw's dismissal for 65, caught off Muzarabani with eight balls remaining, essentially sealed the game's outcome.

The result has left Group B finely balanced after two matches each, with Australia trailing Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka by two points, ahead of their meeting with Sri Lanka on Monday.

Initially, Zimbabwe's approach to batting first at the R. Premadasa Stadium appeared overly cautious.

Brian Bennett's innings of 64 not out from 56 balls, including seven fours, was played at a strike rate of 114.28, as he anchored the Zimbabwean batting.

In contrast, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Ryan Burl adopted a more aggressive approach, scoring 35 off 21 and 30 balls, respectively.

A late surge from Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, who scored 25 off 13 balls, including the team's only six on the final ball, provided a boost to their total.

Australia's target seemed achievable, given their total of 182-6 in their previous win against Ireland.

However, the Australian batting line-up was severely dented by the loss of key wickets, including Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Tim David, courtesy of Muzarabani and Brad Evans.

A partnership between Renshaw and Maxwell offered some respite, but when Maxwell fell for 31, dragged on to Burl, the pressure mounted on Australia.

Muzarabani's return to bowl the penultimate over proved decisive, as he removed Renshaw, and Zimbabwe subsequently wrapped up the win.

There are calls for the ICC to review the rules regarding 12th men.

For more information, including notifications and social media updates, visit BBC Sport.

A blogger who participates in the FPL is also competing in the T20 World Cup.

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FA Cup Finalists Outside the Big Six Since 2008

As the FA Cup resumes this weekend, assess your understanding of past finalists that have competed from beyond the Premier League’s top six clubs.

This weekend, the FA Cup resumes with 32 teams remaining in contention for the historic trophy, which has been awarded for 155 years and will be presented to the winner in May.

Historically, the Premier League's top six clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham – have dominated the FA Cup, claiming 32 titles out of the last 37.

However, in recent years, teams outside of this elite group have experienced some notable victories in the competition.

Since 2008, 10 teams from outside the traditional 'big six' have advanced to the FA Cup final – can you identify all of them?

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Can you recall every team that has won the Women's Champions League?

Which players have made the most appearances in the Premier League – can you name them all?

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