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• Smith not pinning blame on Ford for England loss

  Marcus Smith does not blame England's narrow defeat to New Zealand on Saturday on George Ford, despite his late missed kicks.

  Ford replaced Smith, who had scored 17 points and set up England's only try in their 24-22 loss, hitting a potential match-winning penalty against the post before narrowly missing a drop goal.

  England had held an eight-point advantage when Smith left the field, but Mark Tele'a's 76th-minute try before Damian McKenzie added five late points proved enough to get the All Blacks over the line.

  The hosts' autumn series got off to a losing start as Ford struggled to find his clinical edge in the dying moments, but Smith does not lay any blame at his team-mate's feet.

  "Sometimes that's the life of a kicker, we've all experienced that. It's part and parcel of the job," said Smith.

  "I've learned so much off George. He's an unbelievable kicker, both off the tee and out of hand. It was one of those days.

  "It's nothing to do with him why we didn't win the game. It's a team effort. Every kicker in the world has experienced that.

  "We practise [drop-goals] as kickers every single day, but sometimes it doesn't go for you. We're all human and people miss."

  Saturday marked a third consecutive narrow loss to New Zealand for England, with their last win an emphatic victory over Japan in June.

  Despite that run, Smith remains confident that England can take lessons from these defeats to set themselves up for success in the future.

  "International rugby is very different to the Premiership and the experiences we're experiencing now are very painful, but we'll be better for them," Smith added.

  "Keep the faith. We've fallen again on the wrong side of the result, but we'll learn from it 100%.

  "These experiences will tighten us as a group, and it will be worth it in the long run. We will be better for it."

• Dominica’s Olympic champion Thea LaFond-Gadson awarded nation’s highest honour

  Paris Olympic gold medalist Thea LaFond-Gadson was conferred with Dominica’s highest honour, the Dominica Honour Award, on Sunday in recognition of her extraordinary achievements in 2024. LaFond-Gadson, who made history by becoming Dominica’s first Olympic medalist with her gold in the triple jump in Paris, also won the triple jump title at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, earlier in March. Each of these remarkable victories marked a historic first for a Dominican athlete, solidifying her legacy as one of the country’s most celebrated sports figures.

   Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerritt had previously announced that LaFond-Gadson would be honoured with the Dominica Honour Award during her visit to the island shortly after the Olympics. The formal recognition took place during the National Parade, where the Prime Minister addressed the nation, and all honorees were celebrated for their contributions to Dominica.

   

  The Dominica Honour Award is presented annually during the Independence Day Rally to individuals who have significantly impacted the nation’s landscape. This year, LaFond-Gadson was one of 18 Dominicans and international honorees recognized. The award was presented by Dominica’s President, Her Excellency Sylvanie Burton, in a ceremony that highlighted LaFond-Gadson’s exceptional achievements and the pride she has inspired across the nation.

   Speaking to the media after receiving the award, LaFond-Gadson expressed that the honour was her “greatest achievement ever” and encouraged young Dominicans to pursue their dreams with dedication and passion.

   

  The celebration of LaFond-Gadson’s accomplishments does not end with Sunday’s parade. A luncheon hosted by a private sector organization was scheduled for Monday in her honour, extending the nation’s gratitude for her contributions. Her recognition comes in addition to being named a Sports Ambassador two months ago, along with receiving a $400,000 gift and a land grant from the government.

   Prime Minister Skerritt, in his address, acknowledged the immense pride that LaFond-Gadson has brought to Dominica, calling her achievements a source of inspiration for the entire nation. With her historic Olympic victory and her continued dedication to her country, Thea LaFond-Gadson has undoubtedly secured her place as a Dominican icon.

   

   

• England 'banging on the door' of rugby's elite, says proud Borthwick

  Steve Borthwick reckons England are "banging on the door" of the elite nations after their close loss to New Zealand.

  England went down 24-22 to the All Blacks in Saturday's Test match at Twickenham.

  Mark Tele'a scored the decisive try for New Zealand, who beat England twice in July, in the 76th minute.

  England missed the chance to win it late on when George Ford missed a drop-goal attempt, after he had struck the post with a penalty.

  But coach Borthwick, who was immensely proud of his team, feels England showed they are capable of mixing it with the best teams in the world, despite losing four of their last five Tests.

  "It is a mixture of immense pride at the performance against a very tough New Zealand team and one of incredible disappointment," Borthwick told BBC Radio 5 Live.

  "They are the emotions we balance and will work through over the next few days.

  "When we started two years ago we wanted to get England right to the top of world rugby again. You can see the team banging on the door."

  With the pre-match build-up having been dominated by Joe Marler's jibe at New Zealand's pre-match haka routine, tries from Tele'a and Will Jordan put New Zealand in control.

  Marcus Smith's penalties kept England in contention, though, and he set up the hosts' only try when he intercepted a loose pass and teed up Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.

  Yet England ultimately failed to hold on to an eight-point advantage, with Ford having to be consoled by his team-mates after the match.

  Next up for England are Australia, with fixtures against South Africa and Japan also in store.

  "We really have to find a way of winning these close ones," said captain Jamie George. "We put ourselves in a really good position after 60 minutes.

  "Eight points is a lot in Test match rugby but we probably went chasing the game a bit and gave away too many penalties. We have to be smarter in that respect."

  England walked up to the halfway line to face the haka, something George explained was planned prior to Marler's comments.

  "That was always our plan before Joe's comments but we did it in a respectful way," said George. "I saw a smile on Scott Barrett’s face, I was smiling, and it was done in good spirits."