Scott Hastings: Scotland rugby great dies at 61

Published

1 hour ago

May 17, 2026

info@oxinfo.co.uk

One of Scotland’s best and most loved rugby union players, Scott Hastings, has died at age 61.

Hastings, alongside his brother Gavin, was part of the last Scotland side to win a Grand Slam when they triumphed in the 1990 Five Nations.

While playing club rugby for Watsonians in his hometown of Edinburgh, Hastings earned 65 caps and toured twice with the British and Irish Lions in 1989 and 1993.

After ending his rugby career in 1999, Hastings became a well known rugby broadcaster, both as a commentator and pundit.

In 2022 Hastings revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer, receiving treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which could not be cured.

He was also known for his charity work in aid of mental health, motor neurone disease, and plenty of other causes.

Inducted into the Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame last year, Hastings is considered as one of Scotland’s greatest rugby union players.

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US PGA Championship 2026, day four – live updates | US PGA

Published

23 minutes ago

May 17, 2026

info@oxinfo.co.uk

Key events

Scottie Scheffler nearly drains an uphill 35-footer on 12 for birdie. Nearly, but not quite, the story of his defence. He remains -2, and wears the look of someone who knows the jig is up. But that’s not the case for the two-time champion Justin Thomas, who gets up and down from a greenside bunker at 16 for his sixth birdie of the day! He’s a shot off the lead at -5: if he can snatch something at 17 and/or 18, and the wind gets up, you never know. You never know. He was six behind the lead at start of play, and as we’ve already discussed, has already been there and purchased the t-shirt.

The final group take to the course. The leader Alex Smalley splits the fairway with his opening drive; Matti Schmid, who is in the best position after 54 holes at a major for a German player since Martin Kaymer won the US Open at Pinehurst in 2014, nearly sends his ball out of bounds down the left. He might have just stayed in. Fingers crossed. Meanwhile up on the green, Jon Rahm makes his birdie putt to move to -5, but Nick Taylor doesn’t. And Maverick McNealy’s devil-may-care attitude from the tee box costs him on 3. He finds the thick rough down the left, and that’s a bogey that slips him back to -3.

McIlroy makes his first move of the day. An almost casual birdie at 2. He joins the group at -5. Meanwhile back on 1, in the penultimate match, Nick Taylor and Jon Rahm take turns to set up birdie chances from Rai Distance. This is going to get quite hectic. Buckle up, and I might need you all to cut me some slack. Let’s go for a ride!

Aaron Rai did well to scramble a bogey on 18 last night. That effort’s been rewarded immediately this afternoon, as he screeches his iron into 1 to five feet, and makes the birdie putt! He becomes the first player to eat into Alex Smalley’s two-stroke lead at the top, moving to -5.

Back-to-back bogeys for Hideki Matsuyama, at 7 and 8, illustrate how quickly things can go south here, west of Philly. He’s back to -2. Joaquin Niemann also takes a step backwards, thinning his approach at 3 through the green then duffing the chip back. He does well to limit the damage to bogey by making an eight-foot putt, and he’s -3.

A couple of big putts by big players drop. Justin Thomas rolls in a 30-footer on 15 to join the pack at -4. Meanwhile Rory McIlroy tickles in a very missable ten-footer on 1, having muscled his second from the thick rough to the edge of the green, only to leave his bump up well short. That’s a big save and he remains at -3. But he doesn’t half like making a meal of these 1st holes at the majors, does he?

-6: Smalley
-4: Thomas (15), Smith (5), McNealy (2), Rai, Åberg, Taylor, Rahm, Schmid
-3: Kitayama (F), Matsuyama (7), Gotterup (7), Rose (4), Niemann (4), Reed (2), McIlroy (1), Schauffele (1)

Ben Kern was the only one of the 20 club professionals to make it to the weekend. A superb second round of 67 allowed him to bodyswerve the cut, and the 41-year-old general manager from Hickory Hills GC in Ohio finishes his week with a very respectable 72. He finishes the week at +10, and while that’s in 80th place of the 82 who made it through to the weekend, it’s a full eight shots better than the 82nd-placed Brian Campbell, a player good enough to win twice on the PGA Tour last year and has just finished in a tie for 24th at the Masters … so that’s no mean feat. Hats off to Ben … but then he’s finished as the Low PGA of America Golf Professional in this tournament once before, at Bellerive in 2018, so he’s an old master at this.

Scottie Scheffler sends his second at 10 to eight feet. A chance to make back-to-back birdies and send a message around the course. But it’s the same story as it’s been for the rest of the week, with the flat stick letting him down. This time it’s an overly conservative prod that never looks like reaching the cup. He taps in sadly, knowing the sands are running out. He remains at -2, and unless he can somehow gain and, for the first time this week, maintain some momentum, and go on a heater very soon, it could be all over for the pre-tournament favourite.

Here comes Rory! The reigning Masters champion is looking to become the only the fourth player in history to win a Green Jacket and lift the Wanamaker Trophy in the same calendar year. For the record, the others are Sam Snead (1949), Jack Burke Jr (1956) and Jack Nicklaus (1963 and 1975). Could a 51-year wait come to an end in the next few hours? Well, maybe, though McIlroy sending his opening tee shot into thick oomska down the right of 1 isn’t the idea start. Meanwhile up on the green, Maverick McNealy walks in a monster from downtown to move up to -4 immediately. One thing is sure about Maverick: he’s not going to die wondering. Attack, attack, attack. Promises some wild-driving fun.

Cameron Smith had missed the cut at his previous six majors. The LIV tour seemingly blunting his edge. But he snapped that miserable run this week, and he’s now officially back, baby, with birdies this morning at 2 and 4. Smith shot 64 at the Old Course to win his Open Championship four years ago, so he knows how to get it done on day four. Smith is too good to have been out of form for this long; is he about to return to the winner’s circle today? He joins the lads at -4.

Scottie Scheffler finally finds some forward momentum. But he needs the generous par-five 9th to source it. It’s played the easiest hole on the course this week, so the world number one will have expected the birdie he makes. As such, there’s no real celebration as he hits the turn in 34, moving up the standings to -2. Meanwhile it’s back-to-back birdies for Hideki Matsuyama, at 4 and 5, and he really should make it three, but tugs nervously at a short putt on 6. Still, that’s whipped the 2021 Masters champion up to -4, where he’s joined in short order by Joaquin Niemann, who birdies 1 and 2.

-6: Smalley
-4: Matsuyama (6), Niemann (2), Rai, Åberg, Taylor, Rahm, Schmid
-3: Kitayama (F), Thomas (13), Gotterup (5), Smith (3), Rose (2), Reed, McNealy, McIlroy, Schauffele

Parish noticeboard. Shane Lowry finished his week as he started it, with a fine round of 68. He never really got over the top into the water at 17 on Friday; that Cognizant Classic collapse cuts deep. He’s +2 for his week’s work. Matt Wallace won’t become the first Englishman to win since Jim Barnes in 1919, but he ends his tournament with a 68 as well; he’s +2 too. A final round of 74 for last weekend’s nearly man at the Truist, Alex Fitzpatrick, who departs his maiden Stateside major at +8. And Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald finishes a very respectable week in style, with a 69 that puts the 48-year-old veteran at +7.

While we’re on the subject of tournament records, let’s give fair measure to Kurt Kitayama. His round of 63 ties the lowest final-round score at any PGA Championship, set by Brad Faxon at Riviera in 1995. Faxon stays top of the list, however, on account of Riviera being a par 71, so his round was eight under par, compared to Kitayama’s seven. But we’re splitting hairs here. Kitayama deserves his flowers.

Justin Thomas knows a thing or two about chasing down a big 54-hole lead at the PGA Championship. He won from seven back at the 54-hole mark in 2022, breaking the heart of Mito Pereira and tying a record set by John Mahaffey, who overhauled Tom Watson in 1978. He only had six players between himself and glory that day, mind; Mahaffey just had four. JT started just six back today at level par, but would have to scoot past 31 players if he’s to win. So statistically that’s pretty unlikely. But still, a stat’s a stat’s a stat, ain’t that the truth. Anyway, after bogey at 3, he’s bounced back with birdies at 5, 7, 9 and 11 to move into a tie for seventh, whatever that’s worth currently, at -3. Yesterday’s 72 almost certainly going to cost him on a week of small margins.

Matt Fitzpatrick cards 65

It didn’t quite click for the 2022 US Open winner and reigning Heritage champion on the first three days. Never quite in it, never completely out of it, with rounds of 70, 72, 71, a slightly underwhelming performance by one of the pre-tournament favourites. But he’s found some form just in time, if not for a tilt at the title, then a good wheech up the leaderboard. A blemish-free final round of 65, with birdies at 6, 7, 10, 13 and 16, and Sheffield’s finest (sorry Danny Willett, apologies Brother Alex) ends the week at -2.

Harris English was one of the form horses in the majors last year. Second place at the Open, a tie for second in this Championship, both behind Scottie Scheffler, both admittedly a fair distance back. But second place is second place, and you can throw in a tie for 12th at the Masters as well. This year he tied for 30th at Augusta, and he’s keeping this pleasing trend going here. Early birdies at 2 and 3, and now on 6 he sends his drive down the left of the fairway, allowing him the opportunity of attacking a pin tucked away on the right. Which he does, stroking an iron to five feet. It’s something of a disappointment when he then misses the putt, and yes I did start writing this entry in full expectation of his making it, and joining the group in second place. As is, he tidies up for par and remains at -3. But it’s nevertheless still a fine start from the 36-year-old from Georgia.

Scottie Scheffler hasn’t had the start he wanted. The world number one started the day at -1, in a tie for 23rd, and no player has ever won a major from outside the top 20 after 54 holes. A flyer out of the blocks was almost essential, and birdie at 2 helped his cause, but his tee shot at the par-three 5th toppled into the fringe at the back of the green, and he hit a slightly hot chip coming back out. The ball rolled ten feet past, and he couldn’t make the par saver coming back. He’s now level for his round through 6, still at -1 with a third of his round – and two-thirds of the theoretically easier nine – gone.

… so this is where Kitayama currently sits on the current leaderboard. A fine morning’s shift.

-6: Smalley
-4: Rai, Åberg, Taylor, Rahm, Schmid
-3: Kitayama (F), English (4), Lindberg (2), Matsuyama (2), Reed, McNealy, McIlroy, Schauffele
-2: M Fitzpatrick (16), Thomas (10), Hillier (8), Gotterup (2), Lee (1), Greyserman (1), Griffin, Smith, Kaymer, Cauley, Rose, Niemann, Reitan, Kirk
-1: Young (9), Harrington (7), Scheffler (5), Puig (5), Fowler (5), Burns (3), Harman (2)

Kitayama shoots 63

It was once the holy grail in the majors. Now it’s one off the men’s record of 62. But it’s still quite the feat, even if Aronimink is only a par 70. Kurt Kitayama went out in 30 this morning, illustrating the aforementioned benefit of an early start in calm conditions, then came back in 33, a birdie at the last the final flourish. Finishing his week at -4, it’s probably not going to be enough to better his PGA Championship best, a tie for fourth in 2023, but it’s been a great week for the 33-year-old Californian, who has an outside chance of finishing in the top ten at a major for only the second time. How he’ll rue yesterday’s collapse around the turn: a run of 7-5-5-6 between holes 9 and 12 that cost him six strokes. The ifs and buts of a major championship.

Let’s start with the weather report. It’s going to be the warmest day of the week, so expect the course to get firmer and faster as the day goes on. Given the contours and kinks of the fairways and greens, that’ll be a double-edged sword. The wind has been pretty benign so far today, but it’s expected to get up as we progress, so the earlier starters have had an advantage. All in all, similar to yesterday, when scoring became progressively harder. Goodness knows how this is likely to pan out as a result, but if someone breaks from the pack and posts a score mid-afternoon, things could get interesting for the final pairings.

Preamble

At the risk of becoming a hostage to fortune, there’s a fair chance this is going to end in a play-off, isn’t there. So with 47 players starting the day within seven shots of the lead – and the record comeback from a 54-hole deficit by a winner at the PGA Championship is seven – let’s not concern ourselves too much with the possible outcomes, narratives and permutations. Instead, let’s just go with the flow. Here’s how the top of the leaderboard looked after 54 holes …

-6: Alex Smalley
-4: Matti Schmid, Nick Taylor, Jon Rahm, Aaron Rai, Ludvig Åberg
-3: Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Reed, Maverick McNealy
-2: Kristoffer Reitan, Chris Kirk, Justin Rose, Joaquin Niemann, Martin Kaymer, Bud Cauley, Ben Griffin, Cameron Smith, Min Woo Lee, Max Greyserman, Hideki Matsuyama, Chris Gotterup
-1: Brian Harman, Mikael Lindberg, Sam Burns, Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler, Harris English, Scottie Scheffler, David Puig

… and this is when everyone has gone / will go out. All times BST. It’s on!

1240 Casey Jarvis, Brian Campbell
1249 Luke Donald, Ben Kern
1258 Collin Morikawa, Elvis Smylie
1307 Kurt Kitayama, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
1316 Ryan Gerard, Jason Day
1325 Alex Fitzpatrick, Matt Wallace
1334 Rasmus Hojgaard, Sami Valimaki
1343 Shane Lowry, John Parry
1352 Christiaan Bezuidenhout, William Mouw
1401 Patrick Cantlay, Alex Noren
1410 Corey Conners, Ryo Hisatsune
1419 Matt Fitzpatrick, Sahith Theegala
1428 Keith Mitchell, Sam Stevens
1437 Daniel Berger, Daniel Brown
1446 Michael Brennan, Johnny Keefer
1455 Ryan Fox, Jhonattan Vegas
1515 Denny McCarthy, Chandler Blanchet
1525 Haotong Li, Kazuki Higa
1535 Jordan Spieth, Rico Hoey
1545 Stephan Jaeger, Taylor Pendrith
1555 Justin Thomas, Aldrich Potgieter
1605 Si Woo Kim, Cameron Young
1615 Andrew Putnam, Andrew Novak
1625 Dustin Johnson, Daniel Hillier
1635 Padraig Harrington, Tom Hoge
1645 Nicolai Hojgaard, Michael Kim
1705 Scottie Scheffler, David Puig
1715 Rickie Fowler, Harris English
1725 Sam Burns, Brooks Koepka
1735 Brian Harman, Mikael Lindberg
1745 Hideki Matsuyama, Chris Gotterup
1755 Min Woo Lee, Max Greyserman
1805 Ben Griffin, Cameron Smith
1815 Martin Kaymer, Bud Cauley
1825 Justin Rose, Joaquin Niemann
1835 Kristoffer Reitan, Chris Kirk
1855 Patrick Reed, Maverick McNealy
1905 Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele
1915 Aaron Rai, Ludvig Aberg
1925 Nick Taylor, Jon Rahm
1935 Alex Smalley, Matti Schmid

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UK News

France v England: Women’s Six Nations 2026 finale – rugby union live | Women’s Six Nations

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2026

info@oxinfo.co.uk

Key events

For England, everything is proceeding as they have foreseen, as they waited out the intial French energy to then dominate the back end of the half

France will be ruing their inability to capitalise on a dominant first quarter that was let down by the common themes that ran throughout the half for them: terrible lineout, awful handling precision in tight, and lack of patience. This feels like and impossible task for Les Bleues now, even if they do start holding onto the ball and catching their own lineout.

Half Time!

That’s the end of the first forty minutes.

TRY! France 7 – 26 England (Ellie Kildunne)

40 mins. Jones takes the lineout quickly for one last attack and the ball moves through a few phases before Kildunne is found in farmer’s field of space out left to walk it in.

No conversion this time.

39 mins. Kildunne boots for space towards the French 22, but Barrat covers across and calls the mark. The ball comes back from a Rowland boot and Arbez this time fields it and boots to touch.

38 mins. England have been utterly ruthless, as is their way, and the longer this goes on the more France’s heads are appearing to drop. If they could just hold onto the bloody ball they just might still be in with a chance, but it already feels to be lost.

TRY! France 7 – 21 England (Jess Breach)

36 mins. A catch and drive moves forward a few metres before teh ball is released to teh backs where it goes all hands via three players to Breach. The winger has a bit of work to do to squirm out of Murie’s tackle to ground in the right corner.

Harrison boots a fantastic conversion from way out east.

Jess Breach of England scores her team’s third try. Photograph: Steve Bardens/RFU/The RFU Collection/Getty Images

34 mins. A penalty is won in the scrum by England and when the advantage come to nothing Harrison finds touch just outside the French 5m area.

31 mins. Stop me if you’ve heard this before. France have a great attacking platform on the 22 where they are working phases to pull the English defence around, but the visitors remain organised and the slight manic energy in France’s obsession with moving the ball quickly results in players being a little isolated. This is all the opportunity Cockayne needs to exploit Fall Reclou lack of support and steal the ball in the breakdown.

If France lose this match they will look back on quite a few moments in the first half and be fuming. Credit to England though, who are not panicking in the face of an onslaught and are winning the match.

TRY! France 7 – 14 England (Ellie Kildunne)

29 mins. The home side’s lineout is now officially a significant problem as yet another is lost to an English disruptive jumper. This ruined platform in the opposition half is soon punished as a loose ball is hacked on by Jones into backfield where Kildunne (who else?) is first to it to score.

Harrison adds two.

26 mins. Each time France have the ball they are making metres but the England defence are so far doing enough to scramble and not only snuff it out, but force handling errors. The latest is after a fantastic carry by M Feleu ono the angle in midfield.

24 mins. After a dodgy start from England it’s now France’s turn to be imprecise at key moments, this time it’s Soqeta allowing the ball to squirm from her grasp as she carried from a lineout maul. The Red Roses again muff their own possession and we’ll have French scrum.

TRY! France 7 – 7 England (Sarah Bern)

22 mins. A 50:22 from Arbez is completely wasted by a Lazarko overthrow in the lineout which England gobble up and feed to Moloney-McDonald to race 40 metres up the left of the pitch. A few phases later, they are feet from the French line and hammering away; there are four drives repelled by the blue defence before Bern rattles and burrows over.

England’s Sarah Bern scores a try. Photograph: INPHO/Shutterstock

18 mins. England attempt to get a foothold in the game but there’s another handling error, this time from Feunati. The home side can’t capitalise and soon after lose the ball themselves to hand a scrum to the Red Roses on the halfway line. Theywin it comfortably but their open play phases are utterly splintered by the phenomenal defensive power from France. The ball is eventually booted away, in what feels like a small act of surrender.

TRY! France 7 – 0 England (Pauline Bourdon-Sansus)

14 mins. The pressure comes from England after the lineout is won, but France whip the ball back and decide it’s time to make the home crowd’s day by running it from deep. It comes to the left via four passes for Murie to race 30 metres, skittling a couple of tacklers before finding Chambon on the inside who pops to Bourdon-Sansus to run in unopposed.

A dazzling, all hands, 80 metre blinder from Les Bleues.

Arbez converts.

12 mins. Bern wins a penalty at the next sscrum as she drops the hammer on her opposite prop. This brings England’s first attack and when it slows up Harrison kicks behind Arbez who clears to touch.

10 mins. More territory for France as their utter dominance so far continues, the latest attempt to score is halted after Harrison flaps at a pass. The ref calls a knock-on as she did not consider it deliberate; a very debatable call to say the least.

Bourdon-Sansus then knocks on as she attempts to play out of from the scrum

7 mins. T Feleu has her first crash ball run of the game from a scrum and Harrison does well to hold onto her leg for dear life to stop the big woman breaking the line. The ball is recycled quickly and Kebaya finds herself a mile offside in the defensive line.

That’s three penalties in the opening minutes given against England.

4 mins. The lineout is fluffed to the England side with Ives Campion getting amongst the French throw. Champon wins it back soon after give Fall Raclou an opportunity to rumble forward in the 22, but Cockayne is on her to grip the ball like a horseshoe crab and win a relieving not releasing penalty for the Red Roses.

2 mins. France move the ball in the backs from the lineout and begin working phases on halfway. It’s broadly going nowhere, but the Red Roses defence drifts offside to gift the home side a penalty.

Kick off!

Zoe Harrison receives a deep kick and immediately launches it to touch from her boot.

Officials today

Referee: Clara Munarini (Italy)

Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett‑Theron (South Africa), Amber Stamp‑Dunstan (Wales)

Television Match Official (TMO): Matteo Liperini (Italy}

Here come the teams on a bright, clear but breezy late afternoon in Bordeaux. Madoussou Fall Raclou is first out to mark the occasion of her 50th cap, soon followed by the rest who take their places for the anthems.

Pre-match reading

Get in touch before and throughout the match on the email with any and all things you would like to bring to my attentions. I love reading your thoughts, even when you are having a go at me, so don’t be shy.

Teams

France have kept a largely unchanged side with only two forward switches, bringing in Ambre Mwayembe and Axelle Berthoumieu while maintaining a settled backline.

England have made multiple changes, reinforcing the pack with returning players including Lilli Ives Campion, Sadia Kabeya and Maddie Feaunati who was a very late absentee last week. Ellie Kildunne moves from wing to full-back and meaning Jess Breach and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald will be in the wider berths. There are several bench options providing experience including Marlie Packer, the score of four tries vs Italy last time out.

France
15 Pauline Barrat, 14 Anaïs Grando, 13 Aubane Rousset, 12 Téani Feleu, 11 Léa Murie, 10 Carla Arbez, 9 Pauline Bourdon Sansus; 1 Ambre Mwayembe, 2 Mathilde Lazarko, 3 Assia Khalfaoui, 4 Siobhan Soqeta, 5 Madoussou Fall Raclot, 6 Axelle Berthoumieu, 7 Manae Feleu, 8 Léa Champon.

Replacements: 16 Elisa Riffonneau, 17 Yllana Brosseau, 18 Rose Bernadou, 19 Kiara Zago, 20 Cloé Correa, 21 Charlotte Escudero, 22 Alexandra Chambon, 23 Lina Queyroi.

England
15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Jess Breach, 13 Megan Jones, 12 Helena Rowland, 11 Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, 10 Zoe Harrison, 9 Lucy Packer; 1 Mackenzie Carson, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Sarah Bern, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Delaney Burns, 6 Abi Burton, 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Maddie Feaunati

Replacements: 16 Connie Powell, 17 Liz Crake, 18 Maud Muir, 19 Demelza Short, 20 Marlie Packer, 21 Flo Robinson, 22 Holly Aitchison, 23 Emma Sing

England’s Meg Jones arrives ahead of the big match. Photograph: Inpho/Shutterstock

Preamble

Welcome to Bordeaux, where the usual suspects are here to punch it out in the usual way to determine if anything will change about England usually winning a Grand Slam.

The route of both sides to this final serving has on paper looked similar, each docket detailing comfortable wins with a sprinkling of right hammerings dished out. But look a little closer and you will see that France have shown the more obvious progression in form and gameplan; each week their attacking patterns have looked sharper with their defence growing more resolute. England will point to their regularly changing line-up due to injury, plus the pre tournament losses to retirement or pregnancy, while not unreasonably mentioning their form has remained pretty damn good throughout all things considered. If any team will test the depth and resilience of the formidable England resources, it’s today’s opponents.

A win today for John Mitchell’s outfit and they carry home a fifth consecutive Slam with the home side looking to secure their first since 2018. Les Bleues may never have a better chance, but lest we forget Canada thought something similar in the last World Cup before they were pulverised in the final by the Red Roses.

The aperitif fixtures have been consumed, followed by the entrée matches and we now reach the main course. Or is it the dessert with it being at the end? Whether you have a sweet or savoury tooth, this is the one you want to sit down for.

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