brisk winds as well.

hello, this is bbc news. the headlines: reaching a milestone — half of all adults in the uk have now had a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine — the health secretary hails �*a phenomenal achievement�*. the vaccination programme is our route out of the pandemic. it will help us to protect people and we know that these vaccines protect you. but we also know that they protect those around you. europe braces itself for a third wave of coronavirus infections — with fresh lockdowns in france and poland. government science advisors warn that summer holidays overseas in 2021 are "extremely unlikely" this year because of the risk of travellers bringing coronavirus variants back to the uk. leeds united's all—time record goalscorer, peter lorimer, has died aged 7a.

just before 7pm we have a special programme with ros atkins explaining why the astrazeneca vaccine has been so controversial. now on bbc news, it's time for sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday — i'm sarah mulkerrins. coming up in the programme. it's all eyes on paris as wales prepare for their six nations showdown against france with a second grand slam title in three years on the line. it's all india — virat kohli steers his side as they produce a batting master class to claim a t20 series win against england. and redmond rules in a south coast battle — as southampton secure their spot in the fa cup semi—finals with victory against bournemouth.

hello and welcome to sportsday. there are three games today with all eyes on paris later where wales could win the grand slam title against france. but before that, the other two games and in the first of the day — scotland returned to winning ways, running in eight tries against a sorry italian side at murrayfield. our correspondentjoe wilson was watching. you know where to find murrayfield, scenic outskirts of edinburgh, but where are scotland in world rugby? it is italy in blue shirts, their captain luca bigi burrowing over to give his team the lead. what captain luca bigi burrowing over to give his team the lead.— captain luca bigi burrowing over to give his team the lead. what a start b ital . give his team the lead. what a start by italy- the — give his team the lead. what a start by italy- the game _ give his team the lead. what a start by italy. the game changed - give his team the lead. what a start by italy. the game changed rapidly, i by italy. the game changed rapidly, remember scotland _ by italy. the game changed rapidly, remember scotland began - by italy. the game changed rapidly, remember scotland began this - by italy. the game changed rapidly, remember scotland began this six l remember scotland began this six nations by beating england. van der

merwe finishing here in his own time. when you watch scotland's quick hands and faster feet it is easy to forget they have also lost twice in the tournament, too much for italy here, inside half an hour scotland had their fourth try and their bonus point. the second half began with scotland's poker david cherry scoring his second try, just the performance scotland needed and the performance scotland needed and the one italy feared. it has been a gruelling tournament for the new coach —— hawker. in terms of points and tries conceded it is italy's was never six nations. scotland's score past 50. never six nations. scotland's score ast 50. ., . h never six nations. scotland's score ast50. ., ., �*, , never six nations. scotland's score ast50. ., �*, , , past 50. scotland's try number eiuht! past 50. scotland's try number eight! thank— past 50. scotland's try number eight! thank goodness - past 50. scotland's try number eight! thank goodness for - past 50. scotland's try number - eight! thank goodness for facemasks, li- readin: eight! thank goodness for facemasks, lip reading impossible. _ eight! thank goodness for facemasks, lip reading impossible. scotland's - lip reading impossible. scotland's final game in paris may tell us more about their true global status but in the six nations, well they have never won so thoroughly. joe wilson, bbc news. in the last couple of seconds ireland beat england in dublin. both sides wanted to finish

their mixed campaigns on a high. but it's ireland who are celebrating — they scored first — nobody able to stop keith earls. and they had a second before half time, jack conan put ireland 14 points ahead. ireland had bundee aki sent off — and england scored moments later through ben youngs. in the second half. butjohnny sexton kicked 22 points as ireland won 32—11. england scored later on, jonny may with that try. the final score was 32-18. that with that try. the final score was 32—18. that has just ended in dublin. all of the reaction on the bbc website to those developing games. well, there'sjust under 90 minutes to go until the big one in paris, as wales take on france, looking for another grand slam title. austin halewood reports.

ireland, scotland, england, italy. a perfect six nations for wales so far. the team only won two matches in all of 2020. now they are the team to beat and they are just one win away from a fifth six nations grand slam. the one win away from a fifth six nations grand slam. the pride we have in representing _ nations grand slam. the pride we have in representing wales - nations grand slam. the pride we have in representing wales has i nations grand slam. the pride we i have in representing wales has been accentuated by obviously fulfilled the situation, we will not shy away, we know the experience we have, the experiences we have had in the past. but this is a new task.— but this is a new task. should wales beat france — but this is a new task. should wales beat france in _ but this is a new task. should wales beat france in paris, _ but this is a new task. should wales beat france in paris, alun _ but this is a new task. should wales beat france in paris, alun wyn - but this is a new task. should wales | beat france in paris, alun wyn jones beat france in paris, alun wynjones would be the man lifting the trophy. he'd be the first welsh player in history to win a four grand slams, and at 35 he is just as important to the team as he has always been. if it's a monday morning, or a grand slam game, he's exactly the same, the way he trains, you know, is so intense and he brings out the best intense and he brings out the best in everybody around him. it's incredible his first cap was in 2006

and in 2021 he's still going strong. but france can still spoil the party. if they beat wales and when their rearranged match with scotland they could lift the title. the french public has great hopes for this young, ambitious team, and after losing to england last weekend, they will be desperate not to let their fans down again. the grand slams _ to let their fans down again. the grand slams i — to let their fans down again. tue: grand slams i won to let their fans down again. he grand slams i won were to let their fans down again. tte: grand slams i won were in to let their fans down again. he grand slams i won were in cardiff and this is tough for wales. they've got to go away to a french team who are firing and playing really good rugby. i think wales have enough experience to see out the game. there is a lot of players in the squad who have won grand slams before and big games. shatter squad who have won grand slams before and big games.— squad who have won grand slams before and big games. after a shaky start wales have _ before and big games. after a shaky start wales have begun _ before and big games. after a shaky start wales have begun to _ before and big games. after a shaky start wales have begun to thrive - start wales have begun to thrive under wayne pivac, sealing a grand slam on foreign soil, though, isn't farfrom the ultimate slam on foreign soil, though, isn't far from the ultimate test. but if there is anything this welsh team have done all year it's upset the odds. austin halewood, bbc news. you can follow that match later on bbc one and radio 5 live. to cricket now — where england lost their t20 series decider against india in ahmedabad after a thrilling batting

display from the hosts. virat kohli top scored with 80 not out as england were set a testing target of 225 to chase down, before falling short. patrick gearey reports. red sky at night, bassman's delight. for a series finale, run making stage, the kind of pitch that says go hit, rohit sharma. rohit sharma is an expert in demolition, breathtaking, bulldozing batting. —— batman. at one point england paired up, chrisjordan brilliantly created this catch. jason royjust took it. my this catch. jason royjust took it. my word, that is ridiculous! but india had already scored 143 runs and virat kohli was still at the crease. by the time he was done, england needed 225 to win, nearly two from every ball. jason roy faced two from every ball. jason roy faced two and scored none. with so far to 90, two and scored none. with so far to go, england couldn't afford to break. fora go, england couldn't afford to break. for a timejos buttler and now die woodmill and were flying so

fast that this was really on but with a target so big the margins are small. the difference between that being six and out. buttler gone, england never recovered. later this year there will be out t20 world cup here. this is a mark of england's challenge. —— davit malan. southampton are through to the semi—finals of the fa cup after a comfortable 3—0 win over south coast rivals bournemouth. nathan redmond had a big part to play in all three goals, setting up moussa djenepo for the first. a brilliant solo run and finish put the premier league side firmly in control before half time. redmond then made the game safe with his second goal, reacting well to seal saints' place at wembley. there is one other of those quarterfinals under way at the moment. manchester city are in action against everton at goodison park.

it's currently 0—0 they're just five minutes into the second half there. in the championship, brentford's hopes of automatic promotion have suffered a setback — after dropping points at home to nottingham forest. brentford did lead through a penalty from ivan toney — but forest grabbed a point thanks to this goal from filip krovinovic. the draw leaves brentford fourth — now seven points off the top two. second—placed watford beat birmingham 3—0 this afternoon. elsewhere blackburn drew 1—1 at runaway leaders norwich city. in—form barnsley lost 2—1 to relegation—threatened sheffield wednesday. swansea are in action against cardiff. it is currently swansea 0—1 cardiff there. to the scottish premership now where it was the final game before the league splits for ten of the teams. and there was disappointment for st mirren, who lost their grip on sixth place in the final moments of their match against

hamilton. a late equaliser for hamilton means st mirren dropped to seventh in the table. a late winner from glenn middleton gave stjohnstone the win and moved them to sixth place. kilmarnock moved off the bottom of the table — beating motherwell 4—1, and hibs extend their lead in third over aberdeen to seven points after a 1—1 draw against livingstone. dundee beat aberdeen. peter lorimer, one of leeds united's greatest players, has died at the age of 74, after a long illness. he was famed as a ferocious striker of the ball, and after making his debut aged just 15, he became their leading scorer with 238 goals — a record that stands to this day. he was part of the team that won two league titles, the fa cup and league cup, under legendary manager don revie in the late �*60s and early �*705. lorimer also won 21 caps for scotland and played in all three of their matches at the 1974 world cup. the club said his passing left a huge hole in the leeds united family and his legacy at elland road

would live on. peter lorimer, who has died at the age of 74. there will be no overseas fans at this summer's delayed tokyo olympics and paralympics after organisers announced they would not be permitted. the decision comes amid widespread concerns among the japanese public, with continuing uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. the british olympic association said it would be very sad if family and friends of athletes weren't allowed to travel. i really feel sorry for this situation. but it is a necessary decision because we have to respect the safety of all the participants, and they were told right from the

very beginning that organising this postponed 0lympic very beginning that organising this postponed olympic games in this situation, of a still ongoing pandemic, will require sacrifices from everybody.— pandemic, will require sacrifices from everybody. now to domestic ru:b from everybody. now to domestic rugby union- _ exeter closed the gap to premiership leaders bristol to two points by beating 14—man leicester in a cracking 12—try encounter. the tigers looked like they'd be easily tamed when winger kobus van wyk was sent off for this clash with jack maunder, the exeter scrum—half was ok. harvey skinner's converted try put the reigning champions 28 points clear with just half an hour gone. leicester managed five tries to pick up a bonus point as they lost by 47—31. britain's tom pidcockjust missed out on winning one of cycling's most prestigious one—day races — milan—san remo —

a distance of 299 kilometres — that's around 185 miles of racing. the ineos grenadiers rider was battling for the lead untiljust three kilometres to go whenjasper stuyven surged away. pidcock and the chasing pack caught up towards the finish line, but the belgian held on after more than six and a half hours in the saddle to claim victory. pidcock came 15th. that's all from sportsday. i'll see you again at 7.45pm. up next is a special programme on what happened with astrazeneca with ros atkins. bye— bye. this week, we're going to look at a puzzle.

the puzzle is how the astrazeneca vaccine, which was hailed as a vital achievement, now finds itself in a scientific and political storm because from the start it was also seen as being particularly important. this is a really significant moment in the fight against this pandemic because the vaccine is the way out and the approval of the oxford—astrazeneca vaccine brings forward the date at which we're going to bring this pandemic to an end. the leading immunologist professor helen fletcher told us in december: so we have a vaccine that is relatively cheap, easy to store, vital to the global roll—out, and which the uk, european regulators, and the who all say is fine to use.

so why is this happening? france, germany and italy are among several