For a change this week, rugby is first up on the agenda as after yesterday's results, football is not something I really want to talk about. The Six Nations returned after a two week break and saw the Irish comfortably beat Italy to get their tournament back on track following a loss against the Welsh on the opening weekend. Hopefully this result can give the Emerald Isle confidence going forward ahead of their game against France this coming Sunday. Staying with the French, they too also won this weekend with a tight win over Scotland. So far, I have been impressed with Scotland this Six Nations despite losing all three games. If they were not let down by mistakes every game, their performances may have garnered at least two points, if not more. The game of the weekend was undeniably England vs Wales, which ended in controversy as England were adamant they had crossed the whitewash leaving Toby Flood with a chance to draw the game with his conversion attempt. However, the TMO gave a decision of no try due to "inconclusive" evidence. After the game, though, angles suggested that England may well have scored. In a way though, I am sure Flood is secretly pleased the try was not given as had he missed the resulting conversion, he would have been slated in the Sunday papers. Furthermore, the result of a draw would have stopped England winning a Grand Slam, much like the loss has, meaning little would have changed bar one point in the table.
In football this week, Liverpool won the Carling Cup on penalties over Championship side Cardiff. Reds fans seem to be slightly getting carried away following the victory, with many hailing it the beginning of a new era after winning a tournament where the bigger teams often field their youngsters. I remember a few years ago when Spurs won and I was ridiculed for celebrating the win by my dad, a Liverpool fan. Yesterday, I got a call from him telling me what an amazing inveiglement it was. Funny how views can change. Elsewhere, there was a London derby which we really do not need to go into much detail about except that Spurs played really well for forty minutes, and we all know that's when it truly matters.
Turning our attention to golf, and Rory McIlroy missed out on the chance to become World No. 1 after losing to Hunter Mahan in the final of the WGC Match Play final. McIlroy needn't be too despondent as he will surely be the official best in the world at some point this year. However, I hope he does not let that get to him in a similar way to his US Open triumph last year. Since then, McIlroy has begun to believe the hype despite only having won the same amount of majors as golfing luminaries like Louis Oosthuizen, Todd Hamilton and Shaun Micheel. Maybe Rory should take a leaf out of countryman Darren Clarke's book and just enjoy every moment of being a major winner.
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