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Whoever wears No 10 for England, they will perform better with Ollie Lawrence outside them. Eddie Jones has shown how he can make a team perform at the World Cup but Kiwi pundits aren't convinced he has the talent in his player pool to field an XV capable of World Cup heroics.
No matter what the fortunes of either side going into it, England-France in the Guinness Six Nations is always a highly anticipated, muscular affair and this contest was no different. England coach Steve Borthwick had made a bold decision by starting Marcus Smith ahead of experienced fly-half Owen Farrell, who started on the bench. Meanwhile, Les Bleus were looking to end their long drought at Twickenham, having not won there in well over a decade.
Yet it was England who looked like the away side here, with France paddling Borthwick’s men in what was very much a case of men against boys in Twickenham. Worryingly bad from England and frighteningly good at times from France.
15 Thomas Ramos – 7.5. Showed decent gas to bag his opening try, his third of the Six Nations.
14 Damian Penaud – 8. Showed his mettle in the frequent high-stakes kicking battles that littered the first half.
13 Gael Fickou – 7.5. Hit some sweet lines in attack.
12 Jonathan Danty – 8.5. Showed a Manu Tuilagi-like ability to consistently break the gain line for France.
11 Ethan Dumortier – 7. Brilliant timing to put Ramos away for France’s first try.
10 Romain Ntamack – 8. Magnificent.
9 Antoine Dupont – 8.5. Still by some distance the best player on the planet.
1 Cyril Baille – 7.5. Used as an effective carry option twice in the opening three minutes.
2 Julien Marchand – 7.5. Got through a mountain of work with very little by way of errors.
3 Dorian Aldegheri – 8. Monstered Ellis Genge on 40 minutes which directly lead to Ollivon’s try.
4 Thibaud Flament – 8.5. His second was a testament to his work ethic, even if it was opportunistic.
5 Paul Willemse – 7. His most convincing performance of the campaign to date.
6 Francois Cros – 7. Brought meaningful value in contact.
7 Charles Ollivon – 8. Did brilliantly at the less glamorous stuff.
8 Gregory Alldritt – 9. A return to form for Alldritt, who hadn’t heretofore hit the heights in 2023. A phenomenal shift.
The French bench didn’t have much to do with the game decided early in the second half. Sipili Faletea’s star turn two weekends ago wasn’t quite followed up here, with Genge getting into him at the setpiece. Romain Taofifenua and Peato Mauvaka were impressive, while Moefana struggled to make an impact.
Credit: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/france-player-rating-vs-england-2023-guinness-six-nations/
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Orlando Pirates forward Kermit Erasmus has emphasised “class is permanent” as he details his unceremonious departure from Mamelodi Sundowns. The 32-year-old beat the September 22, 2022 deadline to rejoin Pirates from the Tshwane giants after a difficult start to the season. He was being snubbed from the matchday squad and the attacker sought to get playing opportunities elsewhere. That saw him rejoining Pirates, a club he had left in 2016 to go to France. Erasmus says even if the money was good at Sundowns, it did not motivate him to stay at Chloorkop while not playing.
“I know a lot of people have a lot of things to say, negative and positive,” Erasmus told Pirates media. “But at the end of the day it’s about what you can produce on the field. Everybody has an opinion about certain things and certain situations and I don’t like to delve too much into those things. But one day they will know the truth about what happened. But for now, what I showed on the pitch was the truth. It just shows you that class is permanent.
“I wouldn't allow myself to sit at a team where I wouldn’t play regularly just for the money. Yes, money is important, don’t get me wrong, but at the end of the day it’s how relevant you want to stay and how serious you are about what you love doing. For me, football has been my bread and butter. If it wasn’t for the opportunity I was given at the beginning to start my career, I don’t think I would be having the life I have right now.
Erasmus was to hurt his former paymasters when Pirates visited Masandawana for the MTN8 semi-final, second leg by opening the scoring in the 3-0 win. “What went through in my mind was just hard work and being patient and [being] ready for my moment,” added Erasmus. The way I acted [celebrating in front of Sundowns fans] in that game was not hatred towards anybody nor anyone at the club, owning or in charge of the club. It was just the passion I have. I love the game and I’m sure a lot of people can say that I play the game with a lot of passion.
After a good start on his return to Pirates, Erasmus has lost form and has been coming off the bench in most matches. Competition for places upfront at Pirates has become stiff with Terrence Dzvukamanja the most preferred striker. Erasmus has scored just once in 2023 and would be keen to improve on that and reestablish himself as a regular starter.
Pirates host National First Division side Venda Academy FC in the Nedbank Round of 16 on Saturday and Erasmus would be hoping to have a say in this match if he is handed the opportunity to play.
Credit: https://www.goal.com/en-za/news/orlando-pirates-star-erasmus-insists-he-didn-t-want-to-sit-at-mamelodi-sundowns-just-for-the-money/blt0fc74b6f01193720
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Shakira has celebrated a string of Guinness World Record wins with a performance of ‘Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53’ on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The diss track aimed at her former partner Gerard Piqué was released in January and quickly became the most watched Latin song on Youtube. As it stands, ‘Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53’ has racked up over 400 million streams on Spotify and 411 million views on YouTube.
Yesterday (March 10), Shakira took to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform the song alongside Argentinian producer and DJ Bizarrap. Speaking to Fallon ahead of the performance, Shakira revealed that the team-up originally came about because her kids told her to collaborate with Bizarrap. Shakira went on to reveal that her son even sent a voice note to her manager to set-up the collab.
Yesterday (March 10), the Guinness World Records confirmed that Shakira has achieved an additional 14 records. ‘Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53’ is the most streamed Latin track on Spotify in 24 hours (14,393,324), the most viewed Latin track on YouTube in 24 hours (63,000,000), the fastest Latin track to reach 100 million views on YouTube (2 days and approximately 22 hours), and the most streamed Latin track on Spotify in one week (80,646,962).
“I never thought I would get straight to number one in the world at 45 years old and in Spanish,” Shakira commented on Instagram earlier this year. “I want to embrace the millions of women who stand up to those who make us feel insignificant. Women who stand up for what they feel and think, and raise their hand when they disagree, while others raise eyebrows,” she added.
Meanwhile, her ex-partner Gerard Piqué has responded to the track by signing a partnership with Casio, who are used as a diss in the viral track.
Credit: https://www.nme.com/news/music/shakira-celebrates-14-guinness-world-records-wins-with-fallon-performance-3411669
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The 46-year-old Shakira finally opened up on The Tonight Show about her collaboration with Argentine DJ Bizarrap. She revealed that it was actually her son Milan who insisted they collaborate, a fact that Bizarrap confirmed.
When Shakira first heard the beat offered by Bizarrap, she felt it on a visceral level. She even compared it to her favorite band, Depeche Mode. As for the resulting hip movements, she confirmed that they do not lie. It is a physical reaction that she has to music.
Before performing her hit track with Bizarrap, Shakira talked about how her collaboration served as a much-needed outlet to vent and connect with a "sisterhood" determined to triumph even in the darkest of times. She has had a rough year after her separation from the pro soccer star Gerard Piqué, but the success of the song has become sort of like an anthem for so many women out there.
Jimmy Fallon couldn’t resist joking about Shakira’s famous song, causing her to sheepishly admit that her hips really do not lie. Fallon was ecstatic about the answer.
“This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. This is the greatest. I can retire,” Fallon exclaimed. “This is all I really wanted to know, is if, really, your hips do lie or don’t lie to you. You’re actuating telling us!”
Credit: https://etcanada.com/news/975683/shakira-reveals-exactly-how-her-hips-dont-lie-talks-rough-year-after-gerard-pique-split/
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Everton will welcome Brentford to Goodison Park on Saturday in a match that could determine their Premier League survival. The Toffees are fighting to move out of the drop zone, while the mid-table Brentford has its sights set on European football next season.
Sean Dyche is looking to get his third win as Everton's boss after the home victories against Arsenal and Leeds United. Everton was last involved in a 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest. On the other hand, Brentford has a 12-match unbeaten run that includes wins over Liverpool, Manchester City, and Fulham in the Premier League.
Unfortunately, the match between the two teams hasn't been selected to be televised live on TV or online in the United Kingdom. However, both clubs will provide match updates on their respective apps, and live radio commentary should be available for the full 90 minutes.
For football enthusiasts who want to keep track of their favourite teams, streaming services such as NOW and BT Sport offer innumerable Premier League matches.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Everton's forward, has returned to training after missing the last five games due to a thigh problem. However, Demarai Gray is likely to continue ahead of Neal Maupay up front. James Garner should be available again after making it to the bench against Forest. Vitalii Mykolenko will also play after overcoming an illness that kept him out of Sunday's game. However, Andros Townsend (ACL) remains out. Nathan Patterson will need to pass a fitness test.
For Brentford, second-choice goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha is the side's only injury for now. With coach Thomas Frank's known preference to field a back five, Mads Roerslev is likely to take Aaron Hickey's place on the right. Yoane Wissa may be replaced by Kristoffer Ajer in the XI. In midfield, it's a battle between Vitaly Janelt, Mikkel Damsgaard, and Josh Dasilva to partner regular starters Christian Norgaard and Mathias Jensen. Moreover, Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney are Brentford's front two.
If you can't make it to the stadium, be sure to watch the action unfold on one of the live streaming services! Good luck to both teams!
Credit: https://www.goal.com/en-bh/news/everton-vs-brentford-live-stream-tv-channel-kick-off-time-where-to-watch/blt5e20e5aaa959720e
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Swansea City conceded three second-half goals to suffer a 3-1 defeat against Championship promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough. The Swans started well and took the lead in the 15th minute through what was Joel Piroe's 14th goal of the campaign.
But having defended well and limited the visitors to few clear cut chances, Boro's quality shone through as Aaron Ramsey and Cameron Archer struck in quick succession, with Chuba Akpom adding a late penalty as Swansea's woeful run of results continued, despite a largely spirited display.
Boro wasted no time in showing why they are the division's form team as they controlled possession early on, with Swansea's January transfer target Archer curling wide after four minutes following a direct run upfield by Ramsey.
The Swans were playing with plenty of confidence in possession while they showed energy and desire to press and defend whenever Michael Carrick's outfit got into dangerous positions.
But the four minutes that followed dramatically altered the course of the match. Swansea failed to replicate their creativity from the earlier set-piece and were hit on the counter attack as McGree set Ramsey free, and after evading the attention of Grimes and Matty Sorinola, the attacker lashed in off the post.
Swansea shot themselves in the foot 13 minutes from time as Latibeaudiere clumsily challenged McGree in his own box, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Akpom sent Fisher the wrong way to cap off another fine away win for Boro as Swansea's winless run was stretched to five matches ahead of fixtures against Millwall and Bristol City before the international break. Despite the disappointing loss, Swansea's spirited display is worth noting.
Credit: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/swansea-middlesbrough-championship-fixtures-results-26443518
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Stevie Nicks and Billy Joel gave fans an unforgettable night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood for the kickoff of their highly anticipated co-headlining tour. The two iconic artists each performed their own sets but also appeared on stage together to collaborate on one another’s songs.
During Nicks’ set, Joel surprised the audience by joining her on stage to sing the Tom Petty part on their classic hit "Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around." Later in the night, Nicks made a guest appearance during Joel’s set, singing his ballad "And So It Goes."
After the successful first show, the Stevie Nicks and Billy Joel tour will continue to perform in various cities until November. Next up is a show in Arlington, Texas, on April 8, followed by stops in Nashville on May 19, Philadelphia on June 16, Columbus on August 5, Kansas City on August 19, Foxborough on September 23, Baltimore on October 7, and Minneapolis on November 10. Fans across the country won’t want to miss out on this highly anticipated tour!
Credit: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/stevie-nicks-billy-joel-stop-draggin-my-heart-tour-kickoff-1234694823/Credit: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/stevie-nicks-billy-joel-stop-draggin-my-heart-tour-kickoff-1234694823/
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Last night (March 10), Stevie Nicks and Billy Joel began their ‘Two Icons, One Night’ co-headlining tour in Inglewood, California. The seven-show tour will take place between March and September, and Nicks will also play headline dates in between.
During Nicks’ set, she brought Joel on stage to perform ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’ together. Joel returned the favor during his set, with Nicks joining him on the piano to sing ‘And So It Goes’.
Nicks took a moment during the show to pay tribute to her late Fleetwood Mac bandmate Christine McVie. She emotionally told the crowd before performing ‘Landslide’: “I have to imagine she’s still here. It’s all I can do.”
Earlier this year, Nicks was announced as a featured artist on Dolly Parton’s upcoming album ‘Rock Star’, along with Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler, and Brandi Carlile. Meanwhile, Margot Robbie expressed interest in portraying Nicks in a potential biopic, and Joel announced his BST Hyde Park headline show in 2023.
Don’t miss your chance to see Nicks and Joel on their co-headlining tour!
Credit: https://www.nme.com/news/music/watch-stevie-nicks-and-billy-joel-duet-as-co-headlining-us-tour-begins-3411755
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Daisy May Cooper looked completely unrecognisable as she took to Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly's Saturday Night Takeaway. The comedian appeared as the show's 'star speaker' and took part in a challenge called Read My Lips with the Geordie duo, however fans were left stunned at her body image overhaul.
Daisy wore a mini black blazer dress which was tied at the waist by a belt of the same fabric. She wore fishnet tights and knee-high heeled boots. Her stunning blonde locks were styled in a body wave and fell below her shoulders as she welcomed the presenters to the show.
Fans took to Twitter to share how amazing she looked, with one writing: "There's something about Daisy may cooper. Gorgeous." A second put: "Daisy May Cooper is almost unrecognisable from her This Country days."
"O WAYYYYY!!! This was playing on my mind so I had to Google it and I knew this was the girl from Celeb Gogglebox, " a third started. "Daisy May Cooper what a transformation! Absolutely incredible wow. That is sensational she has done so well for herself #SaturdayNightTakeaway unrecognisable!" they continued.
A fourth wrote: "That Daisy May Cooper seems to have lost quite a bit of weight, looks good. Never watched anything she's in, just see her on award shows."
Daisy shocked fans when she rocked up to the BRIT Awards in a black latex mini dress, hand gloves and huge platform boots. Speaking to Grazia Magazine, Daisy explained that when she was "at her biggest" she was "miserable."
"I'm so for body positivity but when I was at my biggest I was at my most miserable and I had a massive food addiction," she said. "I wasn't healthy. I couldn't breathe when I was walking up the stairs. I was so unhappy. And I've had some messages like, 'Well, now you've lost the weight you're not funny any more,' What the f"k? Why do women have to be f**king fat to be funny? That makes me so angry," Daisy added. "I champion anybody. I think everybody should be happy with their body. But I wasn't."
Credit: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/tv/daisy-cooper-floors-viewers-unrecognisable-29433870
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Everton secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Brentford at Goodison Park on Saturday, dragging themselves out of the Premier League relegation zone thanks to a goal from Dwight McNeil in the opening minute. The winger produced a superb left-footed finish after an assist from Abdoulaye Doucoure to end Brentford's 12-match unbeaten league run.
Despite their early lead, Everton squandered several chances to extend their lead in the first half. Michael Keane missed with a header from an Everton free kick in the 15th minute, and Amadou Onana blazed wide five minutes later, after Brentford goalkeeper David Raya parried Alex Iwobi's cross into his path. Raya also made a great save to deny Iwobi's snap shot from close range following an Everton corner.
Everton had a chance to go 2-0 up before halftime when Demarai Gray bundled home after being put clean through by Idrissa Gueye. However, the goal was ruled out for handball following a VAR review.
Brentford dominated possession after halftime as they pushed for an equalizer but were unable to breach Everton's stubborn defense. Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford denied Rico Henry with an excellent save in the second half, while Brentford's Ivan Toney was kept quiet throughout the game. The visitors came close to scoring in injury time when Raya went up for a corner in the dying minutes but headed narrowly wide.
Despite Brentford's dominance after halftime, Everton manager Sean Dyche was pleased with his side's resilience and mentality. "We were very strong in the first half and created two or three golden chances. And then in the second half they came at us. But the resilience of the side is growing, the mentality of the side is growing and sometimes you've got to fight. There are no mugs in the Premier League nowadays and we've delivered a performance that could get us the three points."
The win moved Everton out of the bottom three and up to 15th in the Premier League table with 25 points, while Brentford remained in 9th position.
Credit: https://www.espn.co.uk/football/report/_/gameId/638080
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