Six Nations
France 10-9 Ireland
Maxime Medard's late try snatched victory for France over a battered and bruised Ireland in an attritional Six Nations contest in a wet Paris.
Ireland posed all the attacking threat in the first half but poor handling meant they had to settle for a 9-3 lead courtesy of three Johnny Sexton kicks.
By that stage, Sean O'Brien and Dave Kearney were already off injured.
Medard's 70th-minute score followed sustained pressure with Jules Plisson's conversion putting the French ahead.
Sexton was forced off moments before the match-winning try as replacement scrum-half Jean-Marc Doussain sniped off the back of an scrum near the Irish posts to set up Medard to score, as the full-back brushed off Robbie Henshaw.
Ireland's defeat means that their hopes of an historic third successive Six Nations title now look remote while the French will hope to chase a possible Grand Slam after their second straight win.
France front-row changes key
France replacement prop Rabah Slimani celebrates after France's narrow win over Ireland
Prop Rabah Slimani's introduction helped turn the game in France's favour
The introduction of props Rabah Slimani and Eddy Ben Arous five minutes into the second half was central to France's second-half comeback.
Slimani and Ben Arous had been dropped after being accused of lacklustre displays in the 23-21 win over Italy last weekend but both proved their worth in Saturday's win.
Ireland were already starting to run out of bodies at that stage after the enforced retirements of key man O'Brien and Dave Kearney in the first period.
After posing little threat in the opening period, the French broke into the Irish half in the 50th minutes as Camille Chat intercepted a Rob Kearney off-load on the edge of the home team's 22 and set up Virimi Vakatawa to finally show his pace.
The remainder of the contest was played almost entirely deep in Irish territory and a series of scrum infringements by the visitors eventually yielded Medard's decisive score.
Ireland went into the contest under-strength in the prop department with regular starters Mike Ross and Cian Healy not judged fit enough to be considered and Marty Moore ruled out of the entire Six Nations by injury.
Ireland waste first-half chances
The Irish will look back up a series of handling errors as they threatened the France line in the first half, with Henshaw failing to host a Sexton reverse pass and CJ Stander also frustratingly knocking on.
Sexton picked himself up off the floor after a late hit by Yoann Maestri to kick Ireland ahead in the 15th minute but their dominance should have yielded more than the fly-half's three successful penalties.
O'Brien's departure with a suspended knee problem in the 19th minute was a big blow after he had made a number of early carries while wing Kearney was forced off by an apparent shoulder injury nine minutes later.
France forward power wears down battered Irish
The attrition continued for the Irish in the second period as lock Mike McCarthy was forced off following a clash of heads after having suffered a blood injury in the first period.
Medard's try came as the Irish appeared in danger of conceding a penalty try as their scrum creaked.
The chance of an immediate Irish response came and went as replacement fly-half Ian Madigan kicked the restart out on the full and the visitors didn't threaten in the remaining nine minutes of action.
Wales 27-23 Scotland
Wales cut loose in the final 20 minutes to register a ninth consecutive win over Scotland.
But Warren Gatland's team had an uncomfortable hour before tries from Jamie Roberts and George North lifted the siege.
Scotland led 13-10 after Tommy Seymour's try cancelled out Gareth Davies's early touchdown.
Duncan Taylor's late try was little more than a consolation for the Scots, who have not won in Cardiff since 2002.
Dan Biggar kicked 12 points for Wales and Scotland aptain Greig Laidlaw was also perfect from the tee.
A tough examination
After the stolid fare on offer in Paris where France beat Ireland, this game served up an antidote with Scotland asking tough questions of the home team.
But for all their endeavour, Scotland were unable to make their territory and dominance pay and once Tom James' 80-yard break broke the shackles Wales killed the game off in a clinical seven-minute spell.
A Scottish fight-back
Wales started furiously and were ahead in the seventh minute when Biggar's chip was knocked back by Roberts, and Davies snapped up the bouncing ball to sprint-in for his sixth try in 11 Tests.
Replays suggested the scrum-half might have been offside, but far from being overwhelmed the Scots hit back in style.
Their number nine Laidlaw sniped and Finn Russell's chip was allowed to bounce before Seymour pounced to score.
The Glasgow wing was also a key figure as the Scots won the aerial battle in the face of Wales' muscle.
And their half-time lead could have been greater if John Barclay, breaking from deep in his own half, had spotted the supporting Stuart Hogg on his inside instead of kicking ahead and into touch.
Runaway break relieves the pressure
Biggar and Laidlaw exchanged penalties after the break, before an 80-yard James break eased he pressure, and could have brought more had it not been for Taylor's superb covering tackle.
But the incident swung the momentum in Wales' favour and after a series of attacking scrums it was Roberts who blasted his way over from short range just after the hour.
Within minutes North cut an angle to race in from 40 yards past some tired looking defenders.
For the second week in succession Scotland saw their opponents bring considerable experience off the bench.
Wales looked comfortable in the dying stages until Taylor's 79th-minute try meant they had to survive a re-start with a four point lead.
Man of the Match
Jamie Roberts. Many in Wales thought the Wales centre should have taken the award in Dublin, and there were strong Scottish contenders in the shape of Seymour and Laidlaw.
What happens next?
It is the return of Friday night rugby for Wales when France come to the Principality Stadium on 26 February with Gatland's team looking for a fifth consecutive win against Les Bleus.
For Scotland, Sergio Parisse and Italy away in Rome on Saturday, 27 February sees them looking to avenge last season's 22-19 defeat in Edinburgh.
Aviva Premiership
Worcester 14-16 Bath
Tom Homer's goal-kicking and a much-improved second half earned Bath a narrow win against Worcester, ending their six-game losing streak.
Jonathan Evans' try and a Homer penalty after the break turned around a 14-6 half-time deficit.
Worcester, whose own winless run stretches back to November, led for much of the game but were undone by a pointless second-half.
Cooper Vuna and Donncha O'Callaghan scored the Warriors' two tries.
The win lifts Bath six points clear of Newcastle and eight clear of the second-bottom Warriors in the Premiership table.
Worcester's first-half dominance at the breakdown and the set-piece set their platform for the first-half lead, as did Tom Heathcote's control from stand-off.
Smart play put Vuna in on the left, after a line-break by Wynand Olivier, and the same player was involved down the same short-side for O'Callaghan's score.
Bath's improved second-half display was in part down to cutting out errors, they were more clinical at the ruck and their kicking game began to cause Worcester problems.
Evans' try came from Semesa Rokoduguni's kick chase, while Homer's composure from the tee, in contrast to Worcester's kickers, helped nudge the scoreboard in their direction.
A tight defensive effort late on was also pivotal as the Warriors tried to fightback, but a solid line tidied up the danger with the clock well into the red at the end.
Northampton 35-7 London Irish
Northampton Saints continued their push for the Premiership play-offs with a five-try win over bottom-of-the-table London Irish at Franklin's Gardens.
Scores from James Craig and Alex Waller bookended a penalty try to deliver a comfortable 21-0 half-time lead.
After the break Saints upped the tempo, with Lee Dickson setting up Jamie Elliott and scoring one of his own.
David Paice scored a late consolation try from close range, but Saints secured their second win in a row.
Northampton, who beat fellow play-off hopefuls Harlequins last weekend, have now moved up to fifth in the table, just three points behind third-placed Leicester.
London Irish, who are now two points adrift of Worcester in 11th and four points off Newcastle in 10th, opened promisingly but Halani Aulika's yellow card put them on the back foot.
Saints' pack seized their early opportunity and tries were the result. Craig finished a textbook driving maul, their power then delivered a penalty try and prop Waller strolled in out wide.
London Irish had little discernible opening-half possession but after the break enjoyed a few promising early attacks. However, handling errors thwarted their progress and they could not get off the mark.
By contrast, the home side were much more clinical. First, Dickson's chip through set up their bonus-point score, with the TMO deciding that Elliott had gained enough downward pressure on the ball. Then, three minutes later, Dickson finished a slick team score.
As the clock ran down the game broke up and Saints' discipline waned. JJ Hanrahan and Jamie Gibson were both given yellow cards and London Irish used the numerical advantage to gain a consolation try, as Paice drove over from close range.
Gloucester 28-6 Harlequins
Gloucester eased past Harlequins to record successive Premiership wins for the first time this season.
The hosts led 23-6 at the break, James Hook scoring the game's first try and converting Ben Morgan's effort as he contributed 18 first-half points.
Nick Evans slotted Quins' only points before the break, but failed to emerge after the interval because of injury.
Steve McColl slid over late on as Gloucester extended their winning run to four games in all competitions.
Defeat for a weakened Quins side, with Mike Brown and Chris Robshaw among five England internationals lining up against Italy in the Six Nations on Sunday, saw the Londoners miss the chance to go third in the table.
Gloucester, who only have Scotland's Greig Laidlaw in Six Nations action this weekend, move up to seventh in the Premiership standings, with Wasps capable of swapping from eighth back up to fifth on Sunday if they overcome league leaders Saracens.
The Cherry and Whites made a scintillating start, with Charlie Sharples collecting Evans' kick-off before racing clear and sending a dangerous grubber kick through for Marland Yarde to defuse.
It eventually led to Hook going over inside three minutes, with the fly-half converting his own score.
Hook and Evans traded penalties but, as Quins' looked to compose themselves after Gloucester's fast start, Ross Chisholm was sin-binned on 16 minutes.
Some slick play from Willi Heinz, Matt Kvesic and Sharples, following a period of unrelenting pressure by the hosts, saw Morgan go over before the break.
While both sides threatened after the interval, it was not until four minutes from time that McColl slid in for the final score, finishing off a fine team effort that started with a Harlequins turnover following some fierce defending from the hosts.
Sale 23-17 Exeter
Sale Sharks recorded their sixth win in a row to beat Premiership high-flyers Exeter Chiefs at the AJ Bell Stadium.
Johnny Leota, Nev Edwards and Mike Haley all ran in tries during a stunning opening 40 minutes for the hosts, who led 17-0 at half-time.
Converted scores from Jack Yeandle and Dave Lewis after the break threatened an unlikely Chiefs comeback.
But Danny Cipriani landed two penalties to secure victory and preserve Sale's unbeaten home record in 2015-16.
Steve Diamond's Sharks, who are already into April's European Challenge Cup quarter-finals, have now moved up into the Premiership's top six thanks to their recent good form in both competitions.
But Exeter, who won eight of their opening nine league matches, have now lost back-to-back Premiership games for the first time in more than 12 months.
After an even opening 15 minutes which saw both sides have players yellow-carded - Ross Harrison for Sale and James Short for Exeter - Leota, Edwards and Haley all crossed in the space of 23 minutes to put the home side in complete control.
Their lead would have been greater had Cipriani not failed from the tee four times during the half, but his penalty with nine minutes to go allowed the hosts to see the game out.
Super League
Catalan 10-38 Hull FC
Hull FC secured a second convincing Super League win in succession, scoring seven tries in a stunning victory against Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.
Lee Radford's side crossed eight times as they thrashed Salford at home in their opening match of the season.
Fetuli Talanoa touched down twice in France, adding to scores from Sika Manu, Josh Bowden, Jack Logan, Jamie Shaul and captain Gareth Ellis.
Winger Pat Richards scored all 10 of Catalans' points in the first half.
The Dragons have lost their first two games of the campaign and such a heavy home defeat early in the season will be a concern, with much of their success in recent years being based on a formidable home record.
Hull top the table ahead of Wigan, with both sides starting the campaign with two victories.
Former England international Ellis was making his first appearance for the Black and Whites since July after recovering from a serious Achilles injury.
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