England sweeps another Women's Six Nations after beating France by one point

LONDON (AP) — England won a seventh successive Women's Six Nations title after surviving a sensational France fightback by 43-42 at Twickenham on Saturday.

Both unbeaten teams were playing for a Grand Slam. England trailed only once, very early, and only for two minutes.

But there was nothing inevitable about its fourth successive Grand Slam even though it led 31-7 after 24 minutes, 38-21 after halftime, and 43-28 near the hour mark after winger Abby Dow's second try and England's seventh.

France, the last team to beat England in the championship when it won the 2018 title, stormed back in the last 10 minutes with tries by Morgane Bourgeois and Joanna Grisez, both converted by Bourgeois.

Only seconds remained after France's sixth and last converted try in front of an entertained crowd of 37,573.

England has won 34 consecutive games in the championship, the longest streak by any side in the men's or women's tournaments. The English have also won 21 of the 30 women's titles since the first championship in 1996.

They host the Women's Rugby World Cup in August.

Ireland finished third even though it lost to Scotland 26-19 in Edinburgh. At 19-19 and the clock nearly in red, Scotland waived a penalty kick while goalkicker Helen Nelson was in the sin-bin, forced a corner lineout and worked winger Francesca McGhie over in the left corner. Nelson converted from wide out.

Whether Scotland finishes fourth for a third straight year depends on the Italy-Wales game in Parma on Sunday, which was postponed a day because of the Pope's funeral.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Kelly Arby of France, centre, breaks away from a challenged by England's Emma Sing, to score a try during the Women's Six Nations rugby union match at Twickenham stadium in London, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Joanna Grisez of France, right, dives over the line to score a try during the Women's Six Nations rugby union match at Twickenham stadium in London, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's Maud Muir, center, is challenged by Yllana Brosseau of France during the Women's Six Nations rugby union match at Twickenham stadium in London, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's Amy Cokayne, left, celebrates following the Women's Six Nations rugby union match at Twickenham stadium in London, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's captain Zoe Aldcroft, centre, lifts the trophy at the presentation ceremony following the Women's Six Nations rugby union match at Twickenham stadium in London, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)