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.
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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)
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)
BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s parliament on Friday elected Min Aung Hlaing, a general who ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in 2021 and kept an iron grip on power for the past five years, as the country’s new president.
The move marks a nominal return to an elected government but is widely considered as an effort to keep the army in power after an election organized by the military that opponents and independent observers deemed neither free nor fair.
Transitioning to an elected government is also seen as a way to improve frosty relations with Asian neighbors following the military takeover. China and Russia have supported the military administration, while Western powers imposed sanctions.
Min Aung Hlaing was one of three nominees for the president’s post, but was virtually guaranteed the job as lawmakers from military-backed parties and appointed members from the army hold a commanding majority in parliament.
The vote was held in the newly renovated parliament building in the capital, Naypyitaw, which was damaged in last year’s earthquake.
Aung Lin Dwe, speaker of parliament’s combined upper and lower house, announced that Min Aung Hlaing won 429 out of the 584 votes.
The two runners-up become vice presidents. Nyo Saw, a former general, had served as an adviser to Min Aung Hlaing, and Nan Ni Ni Aye, an ethnic Karen politician from the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party, will be the country’s first female vice president. They are expected to be inaugurated next week.
Min Aung Hlaing, who holds the rank of senior general, had earlier relinquished his post of commander-in-chief because the constitution prohibits the president from simultaneously holding the top military position. A close aide, Gen. Ye Win Oo, took over the powerful job.
The 69-year-old Min Aung Hlaing had been the military chief since 2011. Under the military-imposed constitution, he held significant powers even before overthrowing Suu Kyi’s government.
Parliament members were elected in three phases in December and January. Major opposition parties, including Suu Kyi’s former ruling National League for Democracy, were either blocked from running or refused to compete under conditions they deemed unfair. Suu Kyi, 80, is serving a 27-year prison term on charges widely viewed as politically motivated.
Myanmar was under military rule from 1962 until 2016, when Suu Kyi’s party came to power, and won an even greater mandate in the 2020 general election. The army took seized control in 2021, before the new Parliament could convene.
Peaceful protests against military rule were put down with deadly force, pushing pro-democracy activists to turn to armed resistance and ally themselves with ethnic minority groups who have been battling for greater autonomy for decades.
Much of the country has been enmeshed in a bloody civil war. Security concerns meant voting in the recent election could be held in only 263 of the country’s 330 townships.
“If Min Aung Hlaing thinks that an official civilian title will shield him from prosecution for the many grave violations of international law that he is accused of overseeing as head of the military, that is not how international justice works," Amnesty International Myanmar researcher Joe Freeman said in statement.
In 2024, the International Criminal Court in The Hague began an investigation on charges of crimes against humanity after a prosecutor applied for an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing over the military’s brutal persecution of the Rohingya minority.
Parliament chairman Aung Lin Dwe, center, arrives for a session of Union Parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
FILE - Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar's military council, inspects officers during a parade to commemorate Myanmar's 78th Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, March 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo, File)
Myanmar's military representatives and lawmakers arrive to attend a session at Union parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, April 3, 2026.(AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
Myanmar's military representatives arrive for a session at Union parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
Myanmar's military representatives arrive for a session at Union parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
Parliament chairman Aung Lin Dwe arrives for a session of Union Parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
Parliament chairman Aung Lin Dwe, center, arrives for a session of Union Parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
