Crystal Palace have completed the £35m club-record signing of Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson. The 24-year-old becomes Palace’s record signing, surpassing the £32m the Eagles paid Liverpool for Christian Benteke in the summer of 2016. The Wales international could make his debut as early as Sunday when Palace head to St James Park to face Newcastle United.
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Eben Etzebeth, South Africa’s double World Cup-winning second row, has been banned for 12 weeks for an eye gouge against Wales. The 34-year-old was seen to make contact with the left eye of Alex Mann with his thumb in the Springboks’ 73-0 win over Wales last Saturday. Etzebeth had come on as a second-half substitute in Cardiff but was shown a straight red card in the 79th minute by French referee Luc Ramos.
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France secured the Six Nations championship with a flourish – and quashed England’s hopes – by ultimately overpowering a dogged Scotland in Paris. Four French tries did not just secure the title in terrific style, it also brought their tally to 30 across the five games – a new Six Nations record, breaking a mark set by the English in 2001. Fabien Galthie’s team roared into an early 10-0 lead thanks to the first of Yoram Moefana’s two tries and a penalty from Thomas Ramos, who later surpassed Frederic Michalak as France’s all-time top points scorer.
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England are poised to profit on any slip-up by title favourites France after scoring 10 tries in a record Six Nations win over woeful Wales at the Principality Stadium. If France fail to beat Scotland in Saturday’s final match (20:00 GMT kick-off) then England will lift the trophy for the first time since 2020.
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Ireland veterans Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy and Conor Murray have confirmed they will all retire from international rugby after this year’s Six Nations. While O’Mahony and Healy, Ireland’s most capped player, will step away from club and country at the end of the club season, Murray will head overseas in the summer. All three players have won over 100 caps for Ireland and won five Six Nations titles including two Grand Slams.
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