Rugby takeaways: Ford fantastic for England and Carreras inspires Pumas comeback

LONDON (AP) — England earned a rare win over New Zealand and Argentina staged an incredible comeback from 21-0 down to beat Scotland 33-24 in autumn rugby at the weekend.

George Ford drove England to the 33-19 victory a year after being blamed for a loss to the All Blacks.

South Africa survived another red card in beating Italy 32-14, France overcame a scare from Fiji, Ireland thrashed Australia by a record 46-19 and Wales was let off by Japan for a first home win in more than two years.

Here's the AP's takeaways.

George Ford says England coach Steve Borthwick doesn't usually bring up drop goals much in pre-match plans. But before the All Blacks game Borthwick did. He told Ford to bring all the tools in his bag. Ford's two drop goals in the last two minutes of the first half were momentum-changing. Instead of going into halftime 12-5 down, England trailed only 12-11. For New Zealand, instead of feeling satisfied with a one-score lead, doubts were sowed because England was hanging on. Ford did the same thing to Argentina in the 2023 World Cup with three consecutive drop goals for a 12-3 halftime lead. Scoreboard pressure was big, Ford told the For the Love of Rugby podcast. When the All Blacks shot out to 12-0 England was anxious but Ford said team leaders Maro Itoje and Jamie George calmed them down and urged them to stick to their plan. They got a try from Ollie Lawrence. Ford missed the conversion. Ford said the All Blacks were exhausting England on attack and defense so, to save his teammates' legs, he took the pot shots knowing halftime was close and their strong bench was coming. Ford, often under-rated, was also at flyhalf in England's previous win over New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup semifinals. For now, he's holding off Lions Fin Smith and Marcus Smith and trusted to wisely use 11 years and 104 caps of test experience. It doesn't always work. He was crucified a year ago for missing a late penalty and drop goal in a two-point home loss to the All Blacks. “Drop goals are funny things because you go for one and you miss and it's deemed negative, ‘England don’t know what they're doing, run out of ideas,'" Ford said. "But if you kick it, it's like, ‘This is brilliant.’ And if you miss the first one and go for a second one it's even worse. But if you kick the first one and the second one everyone's on your feed. It's bizarre. Either way it's the right thing to do.”

George Ford's performance was in vivid contrast to New Zealand counterpart Beauden Barrett's. Barrett was sharp early on and had a hand in both tries. But he faded like his team, not helping with missed touch-finders and tackles. He was replaced by Damian McKenzie in the 55th minute. Barrett has extended the history of great All Blacks flyhalves in the World Cup era including Grant Fox, Andrew Mehrtens, Dan Carter, and Richie Mo'unga. But two years out from the 2027 tournament in Australia the All Blacks can't be sure who their chief playmaker will be. That 34-year-old Barrett, the most capped back in test history, isn't already grooming an heir is an indictment on the New Zealand selectors including coach Scott Robertson. Robertson made McKenzie his 10 last year but eventually returned to Barrett, who is contracted through 2027. Barrett is still good but past his best and inconsistent like the All Blacks overall. He starred in the 2010s, winning a World Cup and two world's best player awards. But the mileage is showing. There's an unhealthy belief that all will be fixed when 31-year-old Mo'unga returns from Japan in mid-2026. That doesn't make him available to New Zealand for another year, after the All Blacks play four increasingly daunting tests against a South Africa brimming with three world-class 10s (Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Libbok, Pollard) under the tutelage of former All Blacks 10 Tony Brown.

Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi reluctantly put Santiago Carreras on the bench for the Scotland game to manage his workload, give fullback Juan Cruz Mallía his 50th cap and keep blooding rookie flyhalf Geronimo Prisciantelli. But Mallía's goalkicking was awful and Prisciantelli drove the Pumas into a 21-0 hole. Carreras was substituted in along with props Thomas Gallo and Francisco Coria Marchetti, scrumhalf Agustín Moyano and the great Pablo Matera. They reestablished a platform and Carreras was able to do Carreras things with 34 minutes left. Two line breaks, two offloads, eight carries, four out of five conversions (12 out of 13 on tour) triggered the greatest comeback win in Pumas history. “When Santi came on,” Contepomi said, “the team got that shifting momentum and he took it really well.”

The confidence the Springboks are banking from their ability to win with 14 men keeps reaping profits. Three times this year they have been red-carded and in all three games they have finished on top. Convincingly so. In July, Jasper Wiese was sent off for headbutting against Italy in Gqeberha and the Springboks played 58 minutes short a man and won 45-0. A week ago, Lood de Jager was sent off for a dangerous high tackle against South Africa in Paris and 42 minutes later the Springboks were 32-17 winners. On Saturday, Franco Mostert was marched for a dangerous high tackle against Italy in Turin and 68 minutes later the Boks triumphed 32-14. All three forwards are World Cup champions. Wiese and de Jager were suspended for four matches each. The same tour-ending fate probably awaits Mostert. Like de Jager, Mostert's head contact forfeited mitigation from leading with his shoulder and not using his arms. Because they'd rested 11 players from the France win and Italy was close to full strength, Boks coach Rassie Erasmus called the win in Turin tougher than Paris. Erasmus said they were willing to rectify what they were doing wrong but lamented that they can't teach their two-meter-tall players to tackle any lower. The Springboks will be OK. Their second row stocks are impressive. For the remaining tour games against Ireland and Wales they still have RG Snyman, Ruan Nortje, Jean Kleyn and Eben Etzebeth.

Going by how the Wallabies are faring on a rapidly forgettable tour of Europe, there's a silver lining at their next stop: France has no Australian-heritage players. The closest is 145-kilogram lock Emmanuel Meafou, who was born in New Zealand to Samoan parents and raised in Australia, where he first played union and league until he left at 20. The Wallabies have suffered unusually at the hands of opponents with Australian bloodlines on this tour. It started with Eddie Jones' Japan, against which Australia barely held on 19-15 in driving rain. Japan had four players born or raised in Queensland; try-scoring flanker Ben Gunter, center Dylan Riley, lock Jack Cornelsen and replacement outside back Sam Greene. England beat Australia 25-7 without any Aussie help but Italy won 26-19 with late tries by wingers Louis Lynagh, the son of Wallabies great Michael Lynagh, and Melbourne-born Monty Ioane, the cousin of current Wallabies tourist Pete Samu. On Saturday in Dublin it was the turn of Canberra-born winger Mack Hansen, who scored three tries in the first 30 minutes of a record 46-19 win for Ireland. “Unfortunately,” Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said, “Mack was probably the standout Australian player on the field.”

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

Ireland's Mack Hansen, top right, jumps for the ball during the rugby union Nations Series match between Ireland and Australia in Dublin, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

South Africa's Franco Mostert leaves the pitch after getting a red card during the rugby union Nations Series match between Italy and South Africa, in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Argentina's Santiago Carreras, left, and Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe challenge of a high ball during the rugby union Nations Series match between Scotland and Argentina in Edinburgh, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (Steve Welsh/PA via AP)

England George Ford, left, with teammates celebrates after Fraser Dingwall scored a try during the rugby union Nations Series match between England and New Zealand in London, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The “Bridesmaids” gathered for a rehearsal the day before the big show, but this time they're playing the role of awards presenter. Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig and Ellie Kemper took the stage at the Dolby Theatre Saturday to run through their lines one last time.

The Associated Press got a behind the scenes look at some of what’s to come during the 98th Oscars Sunday, with a few big caveats: What they’re presenting and what they’ll be saying are to be left surprises.

But 15 years after “Bridesmaids” hit theaters, the actors looked happy to be together again, laughing and chatting and blowing kisses to the theoretical audience. Wiig especially had Byrne in stitches as they got ready for their cue. But when it came for the rehearsal Wiig turned de factor director, asking about lighting timings and camera cuts to make sure that their bit landed just right.

Byrne is in the unusual position of also being a nominee Sunday for her leading performance in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” All were dressed informally, except for their sky-high show heels.

The male actors tend to be more casual with their footwear. Both Javier Bardem and Adrien Brody wore sneakers. Most of the presenters are also in and out of the room fairly quickly with their power publicists and agents ushering them along, but Bardem ventured into the auditorium to greet and chat with Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor and CEO Bill Kramer.

“Am I fired?” he asked with a laugh. “I promise I’ll learn the lines.”

Brody, who won best actor last year, ran through his script several times. Sporting a black T-shirt with “Hollywood” printed on the front in big, white, block letters, a black baseball hat and red-rimmed sunglasses, he looked serious as he knelt and discussed something with a producer.

There was an air of calm inside the theater with just 24 hours until showtime as producers, technicians and camera operators milled about going through their tasks. Rehearsals have been going on for a few days now, and more will continue into the evening. Friday, the theater hosted the rehearsal for “I Lied to You,” from “Sinners,” which Kramer promised will be “epic.”

“There’s not a bad beat,” Kramer said. “It’s a stacked show.”

In addition to a planned Marvel reunion, likely with Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, producers said there will also be a “Moulin Rouge!” reunion with Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor taking the stage together.

The Academy Awards, hosted again by Conan O'Brien, will be held on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The show, to be broadcast live by ABC, is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

For more coverage of the 2026 Oscars, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards.

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Melissa McCarthy’s last name in the first paragraph.

A person walks past Oscar statues wrapped in plastic in the red carpet area of the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Friday, March 13, 2026, during preparations for Sunday's 98th Academy Awards ceremony. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Alex Cortez polishes the base of an Oscar statue at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in preparation for Sunday's 98th Academy Awards ceremony. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Workers install an Oscar statue at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in preparation for Sunday's 98th Academy Awards ceremony. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Oscar statue is protected by plastic in the red carpet area, Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles in preparation for Sunday's 98th Academy Awards ceremony. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Motion picture painter Chance Gugler, whose father was also a film set painter who worked on over 80 movies, touches up an Oscars backdrop on Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, in preparation for Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)