Injured Dupont backs France to win Six Nations without him after toppling Ireland

LONDON (AP) — France will try to win the Six Nations without its talisman after captain Antoine Dupont ruptured cruciate ligaments in his right knee at the weekend.

Dupont was confident his teammates can take their first title since 2022 next Saturday — “You will do it,” he wrote on Instagram — after demolishing defending champion Ireland 42-27 in Dublin. The scoreline flattered Ireland, whose hopes of an historic third successive title in the Six Nations era were crushed.

By the time France faces Scotland in Paris in the tournament finale it will know what it has to do as second-placed England and third-placed Ireland will have finished their campaigns against Wales in Cardiff and Italy in Rome respectively.

England used a licence to thrill to wallop Italy 47-24 on Sunday, a day after Scotland held off a Wales fightback 35-29 at Murrayfield.

Here's the AP's take on a penultimate round with 27 tries:

The biggest match of the championship lived up to the hype in Dublin, and superstar Antoine Dupont played only a fleeting part. Ironically, thumping winner France had more gripes with the game than Ireland afterward because of how Dupont suffered his tournament-ending, possibly season-ending knee injury. But there will be no sanction against Ireland players for the ruck clearout by the citing commissioner. Seeing the captain injured and crying in the changing room at halftime spurred France to even greater heights in the second half. It was the perfect payback for France. Last year in Marseille, it suffered a red card and Ireland won with its highest score on French soil, 38. This time, Irish ill-discipline helped France post its highest score on Irish soil, 42. The hosts played a man short for 20 minutes each against Wales and France in the latest rounds and conceded 15 points during the down times in both games. But while Ireland was good enough to get away with it against Wales, it wasn't against France. The visitor's powerful second-half surge was also underpinned by terrific defense in the first 15 minutes that repelled wave after wave of Irish attackers. The stats didn't lie: By halftime, France had made 106 tackles to Ireland's mere 40, and six dominant to none by Ireland. After being knocked over then run over, Ireland conceded its most points at home in 20 years.

South Africa debuted the ‘bomb squad,’ a reserves bench with an almost second pack of forwards, in 2019. The traditional forwards-backs split is 5-3. The first time the Springboks went to an extreme 7-1 was in 2023. Since the tactic has helped them win the last two Rugby World Cups, other teams with powerful depth have made the choice in vogue. For the first time this winter, Ireland went to 6-2 to counter France's second ever 7-1. France's first time was two weeks ago when it beat Italy 73-24. England and Italy went 6-2. Scotland and Wales were traditional. Critics of bomb squads say it goes against the spirit of the game and discriminates against backs. World Rugby won't say where it stands until it finishes researching the injury risk of tactical replacements. A bomb squad is a gamble on not bearing any excessive injuries to backs, but teams plan contingencies. At the weekend, France used its only back reserve, the superb Maxime Lucu, when Antoine Dupont was hurt. And when midfielder Pierre-Louis Barassi left with a head knock, he was seamlessly replaced by flanker Oscar Jegou. England also used a hybrid forward for center Fraser Dingwall. Flanker Ben Earl returned for the last few minutes and scored the last try.

Italy at Twickenham came at the perfect time for England. The English put a blowtorch on themselves for the last two weeks by the ho-hum way in which they overcame Scotland last time out. Too much kicking and too little attacking intent were ammunition for critics, many of them England greats. New captain Maro Itoje hit back saying the attack wasn't as bad as its said to be. Cue Italy, which has never beaten England but isn't afraid to play. Ironically, Italy scored the two best tries at Twickenham, finished by Ross Vintcent and Ange Capuozzo, but its willingness to have a go exposed it to turnovers in the wrong places and played into England's more clinical expertise. England's 47 points were its most in the championship since 2019 when it put 57 on Italy and 44 on France. Left with only a visit to winless Wales in Cardiff, England has tallied 15 tries, its most since 2019 also. For a team which was losing games it should have won not long ago, it has completed a three-game home stand against the blue shirts — France, Scotland, Italy — with a hat trick of wins. England is only a point behind leader France going into the final round.

While nearly all of his Scotland teammates rested during the Six Nations' last fallow weekend, Blair Kinghorn played a full game at fullback for his Toulouse club and bagged a try in a French Top 14 thrashing of Vannes. Kinghorn then flew back to Edinburgh and gave an all-action, two-try effort against Wales. So enamored of him was TV that it even live broadcast him being ill on the pitch. Kinghorn has never been on a Lions tour but his ability to also play wing and flyhalf boosts his credentials. Rookie teammate Tom Jordan also touched down twice, appearing to be feeling more comfortable at inside center. They were maestroed by Finn Russell, who was also 5-for-5 off the tee after failing against England. Other weekend standouts included Wales captain Jac Morgan and former captain Dafydd Jenkins, Ireland skipper Caelan Doris on the occasion of his 50th cap, and England forwards Ollie Chessum and Tom Curry, who hobbled off after 55 strong minutes against Italy.

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

Scotland's Finn Russell lifts the The Doddie Weir Cup following the Men's Six Nations rugby union match the Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Steve Welsh/PA via AP)

England's Ollie Chessum palms the ball down in a line out during the Six Nations rugby match between England and Italy at Twickenham stadium in London, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

England's Tom Curry dives over the line to score a try during the Six Nations rugby match between England and Italy at Twickenham stadium in London, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Scotland's Tom Jordan, left, tackled by Wales's Max Llewellyn during the Men's Six Nations rugby union match between Scotland and Wales the Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

France's Antoine Dupont leaves the pitch after picking up an injury during the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and France, at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Niall Carson/PA via AP)

France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey, top, celebrates after his teammate Damian Penaud scored a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and France, at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein ’s lawyers got their turn Thursday to question a woman who alleges the one-time Hollywood heavyweight held her down and forced oral sex on her nearly two decades ago.

Miriam Haley, testifying for a third day at Weinstein’s rape retrial, was grilled about details of her recollections — such as exactly how she once propped open an apartment building door — and the bigger picture of her story.

Defense lawyer Jennifer Bonjean underscored that Haley, who was then looking for entertainment production work, stayed in touch with Weinstein despite feeling humiliated when he complimented her legs and asked for a massage at a meeting a few months before the alleged 2006 assault.

“You understood these were sexual overtures?” Bonjean asked.

Haley said she did.

“You rebuffed them, and he still gave you his phone number, right?”

“Yes,” said Haley, who got a short gig on the Weinstein-produced “Project Runway” shortly after that meeting, which happened in his company's hotel suite during the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

Haley has repeatedly testified that she was pursuing only job opportunities, nothing else, from Weinstein.

Bonjean also sparred with the witness over her decision to get a lawyer and hold a press conference airing her allegations as the #MeToo movement exploded in October 2017, fueled by other women's claims that the Oscar-winning producer had sexually assaulted or harassed them.

Weinstein, 73, has pleaded not guilty and denies sexually assaulting anyone. His lawyers argue that all of his accusers consented to sexual encounters in hopes of getting work in show business.

Haley, who has also gone by the name Mimi Haleyi, is the first of three accusers expected to testify at the retrial. She is reprising and adding some new details to testimony that led to Weinstein’s since-overturned 2020 conviction.

She testified Wednesday that Weinstein assaulted her after inviting her to his apartment for what she expected to be a friendly, professional meeting. She said he pushed her onto a bed, ignoring her pleas of: “No, no — it’s not going to happen.”

She and two friends testified that she told them soon after that Weinstein had sexually assaulted her.

Haley testified that she took a prearranged flight to Los Angeles on Weinstein’s dime the next day, and a few weeks later agreed to meet him at a Manhattan hotel. She said she had expected to talk in the lobby, but was instead directed to his room, where she says she had unwanted, but not forced, sex with him.

Even after that, Haley testified, she kept in touch, sometimes sending emails signed “Lots of love” to Weinstein and his assistant. She said that she was still trying to capitalize professionally on knowing Weinstein and that she "suppressed a lot of things” to cope with them.

Bonjean pointed out Thursday that when Haley went public in 2017, she didn’t mention her subsequent sexual encounter with Weinstein, nor their continued contact.

“You told the press only part of the story, correct?” Bonjean asked.

“I told the part that was relevant to what I was trying to share,” Haley said.

She denied Bonjean’s suggestion that she spoke out in hopes of suing Weinstein, though she later sued and got a roughly $475,000 settlement.

Focusing on the Cannes meeting, Bonjean pressed Haley on what to make of the fact that she had secured a meeting with a top producer while she had limited experience herself.

“So, as somebody in my position, I should have turned it down, is what you’re saying?” Haley shot back.

“I’m not saying you should have done anything,” Bonjean replied.

She will step away from Weinstein’s defense team to attend to another trial after she finishes questioning Haley, who is due back on the stand Friday.

Weinstein’s retrial includes charges related to Haley and another accuser from the original trial, Jessica Mann, who alleges Weinstein raped her in 2013. He’s also being tried, for the first time, for allegedly forcing oral sex on former model Kaja Sokola in 2006.

Mann and Sokola also are expected to testify.

The Associated Press generally does not name people who allege they've been sexually assaulted unless they give permission for their names to be used. Haley, Mann and Sokola have done so.

Harvey Weinstein appears in state court in Manhattan, Thursday, May 1, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray, Pool)

Miriam Haley, an accuser testifying at Harvey Weinstein's rape trial, walks to the courtroom, Thursday, May 1, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

Miriam Haley, an accuser testifying at Harvey Weinstein's rape trial, walks to the courtroom, Thursday, May 1, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

Harvey Weinstein appears in state court in Manhattan, Thursday, May 1, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray, Pool)

Harvey Weinstein appears in state court in Manhattan, Thursday, May 1, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray, Pool)

Harvey Weinstein appears in state court in Manhattan for his trial on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in New York. (Michael M. Santiago/Pool Photo via AP)

Miriam Haley, an accuser testifying at Harvey Weinstein's rape trial, walks to the courtroom, Thursday, May 1, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

Witness Mimi Haley arrives to testify in the case against former film producer Harvey Weinstein at state court in Manhattan, Thursday, May 1, 2025 in New York. (Michael M. Santiago/Pool Photo via AP)

Witness Mimi Haley arrives to testify in the case against former film producer Harvey Weinstein at state court in Manhattan, Thursday, May 1, 2025 in New York. (Michael M. Santiago/Pool Photo via AP)