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• Springboks assistant Felix Jones to join England coaching staff in 2024

  South Africa assistant Felix Jones will join England's coaching staff after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

  Jones featured 13 times for Ireland during his playing career, before taking on assistant coach roles with Munster and the Springboks.

  England are planning ahead after a disappointing Six Nations campaign in which they finished in fourth place, losing three of their five games.

  Speaking to the England Rugby website after the future appointment was confirmed, head coach Steve Borthwick expressed his excitement at eventually having Jones on board.

  "We are continuing to build our programme to be in a position to compete to be world champions once again," Borthwick said. "At the same time, I also want to ensure we are preparing for long-term success for this England team, and I am excited that a coach as talented as Felix is joining next year.

  "Felix has been competing at the top of world rugby during his four years with South Africa and will bring invaluable experience to our set-up. Like with Aled Walters, Felix was an integral part of the team that won the Rugby World Cup in 2019.

  "Together with Richard Wigglesworth and Kevin Sinfield, we are putting in place a coaching team who have spent their careers at the highest level competing for trophies. That is exactly what we want for this England team."

  Jones has worked with South Africa since 2019, and will join up with assistant Wigglesworth (assistant) and another former Springboks coach in Aled Walters (head of strength and conditioning) as well as Borthwick and Sinfield (defence coach) in 2024, with Wigglesworth and Walters due to come in at the end of the Premiership season.

  "Coaching the Springboks is one of the biggest privileges in rugby and I intend to do everything I can to ensure the team is successful until the day my contract comes to its natural end," said Jones.

  "The last four years has been an incredible journey for me and my family, both professionally and personally, I am indebted to so many people at the Springboks and in South Africa for that.

  "My commitment to the Springboks until the end of the Rugby World Cup is unquestionable, and Rassie [Erasmus, director of rugby], Jacques [Nienaber, head coach] and the entire Springbok team know that.

  "The next five months are going to be exciting and demanding, and I'm looking forward to preparing for the World Cup with this coaching team."

• Dupont makes history by winning 2023 Six Nations Player of the Championship

  Antoine Dupont has been named the 2023 Six Nations Player of the Championship, while grand slam victors Ireland dominate the Team of the Championship.

  France’s scrum-half is just the third player to win the award back-to-back, and only the second to claim it three times after also winning in 2020.

  It puts him alongside Brian O’Driscoll, who won in 2006, 2007 and 2009, after receiving 26 per cent of the fan vote.

  He edged out team-mates Thomas Ramos and Damian Penaud – leading try-scorer of the 2023 Championship with five – as well as Irish trio Caelan Doris, Hugo Keenan and Mack Hansen who were also shortlisted.

  The Team of the Championship also sported a blue and green flavour with a combined 13 players named between the two teams after their superb performances.

  Lock Thibaud Flament was the only non-Irishman included the forward pack, while Dupont was partnered with Johnny Sexton at fly-half after the latter ended his final Six Nations tournament with victory. 

  Penaud, Doris, Keenan and Hansen were all also included, with Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Finlay Bealham completing a front row lockout for Ireland among the selections.

  Scotland centres Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones marked the only representation from beyond Andy Farrell and Fabien Galthie's sides, following an impressive campaign that saw Gregor Townsend's men come third.

  Ireland and France will now set their sights on a successful World Cup campaign later this year, with the latter set to play host when the tournament begins in September.

• Rodri slams 'rubbish' Scotland style as Spain slump to Hampden Park defeat

  Rodri described Scotland's style of play as "rubbish" after Spain fell to a surprise 2-0 defeat in Tuesday's Euro 2024 qualifier at Hampden Park, accusing Steve Clarke's hosts of time-wasting.

  Scott McTominay scored early in both halves as Scotland maintained their perfect start in Group A, dealing Luis de la Fuente his first defeat since he replaced Luis Enrique as Spain boss.

  While the result represents Spain's first European Championship qualification defeat since October 2014 (2-1 v Slovakia), it is also the first time La Roja have lost a game by more than a one-goal margin since Euro 2016 (2-0 v Italy).

  Spain were visibly frustrated as Scotland produced a resolute defensive performance in Glasgow, with players from both teams involved in a series of altercations as the game went on.

  Spain's stand-in captain Rodri was less than impressed with Scotland's display after the game, telling ViaPlay: "It's the way they play, in the end you have to respect it, but for me it's a bit rubbish.

  "It's always wasting time, they provoke you, they always fall. This for me is not football. The referee says nothing and it's a bit frustrating because we want to win.

  "It's difficult, because they waste time. But they have their weapons, and we will learn for the next time. 

  "We wanted to go in the duels and the battles. We always fight, but this is not about fighting, it's about wasting time, it's about four or five players falling to the floor, those kinds of situations.

  "These teams are always physically strong, but we have to use our weapons. We are good with the ball and have to move the ball quickly. Today we did many good things, but we didn't score."

  Scotland skipper Andy Robertson disagreed with Rodri's assessment, believing Spain were guilty of play-acting in the early stages and praising his team-mates for winning the physical battle.

  "I think they were going down a little bit easily. We were trying to say that [to the referee]," Robertson said.

  "We were always going to try to be physical and we wanted to be in their faces, to win our challenges and win our headers. I think we did that and I don't think we crossed the line. 

  "I think, especially in the first half, they were rolling around a bit much, they used their experience and got a couple of us booked, but I think we won that battle and got under their skin."