Do take a bow Ref

In a much anticipated game where the excitement was over flowing, it turned out to be a very eventful second half.
A second half blunder by the ref, changed the game for the worse giving the last 30 min a a bitter taste in the mouth for everyone.

First half consisted of each team getting past the nerves and getting settled in by knocking the ball around and not really posing a threat until Vidic hit the right hand bar off a corner that rebounded back off Welbeck and in between the fortunate keeper. At half time this looked like a game that would end up level which would send Man United through by the hair on there chinny chin chin.

Second half started off with a bang where Man U dominated and got what they deserved for their presure which came from a scramble by Nani who won the ball on the left hand side of the box then placing a low cross towards welbeck who got a slight touch leading to Saergio Ramos scoring in his own net without his knowledge. This gave Man United an extra spring in there step by taking control but Madrid were never out of it with a scrambled clearance by Evra on 56 min, which lead to Nani trying to control the ball in the air and catching Arbeleo on the way down. This in the refs eyes proved to be an extremely dangerous challenge which then after some time produced a Red card...
SHOCK, SILENCE, the reactions of the Stadium. Was it a Red or was nani going for the Ball? The commentators thought otherwise and thought Nani was harshly delt with.
Nothing against Real Madrid they took this oppotunity as the game changed with a stunning strike by the substitute Modric. and not two minutes later the Reliable Ronaldo turned in a goal at the far post by a low cross/shot by Higuain. From then on Man United threw themselves up and never gave up however a man down and needing two goals against the class of Madrid is next to impossible.
The final whistle blew and in the words of Marinho "Independant to the decision the better team lost tonight".

New Zealand v England: Tourists clinch victory in ODI series

England secured victory in their one-day international series with New Zealand after cruising to a five-wicket victory in the third and final contest at Eden Park.

After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Steven Finn led the way with 3-27 as England dismissed New Zealand for 185 in just 43.5 overs despite an explosive 79 from Brendon McCullum.
Skipper Alastair Cook then top-scored with 46 as England knocked off the target with relative ease, Tim Southee's figures of 3-48 doing little to interrupt the tourists' march to victory.
England's new-ball pair had immediately put New Zealand on the back foot with three wickets inside the mandatory powerplay, Finn striking with just his fourth ball when he had BJ Watling caught at second slip by Graeme Swann.
He also removed Hamish Rutherford for just two, while in between Kane Williamson (seven) edged Anderson through to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott did their best to launch a recovery with a stand of 53, only for the former to then run his partner out for 24 with some poor calling.
Stuart Broad (2-38) then had Taylor controversially caught behind for 28 - the third umpire backing up his on-field colleague despite 'Hot Spot' showing no contact with the bat - as the Kiwis slumped to 67-5 in the 25th over.
It was once again left to McCullum to boost his team's final total, the right-hander hitting six fours and five sixes as he fought a lone hand against England.
His one-man onslaught was eventually ended by a fine catch by Anderson out on the mid-wicket boundary, giving Swann his second wicket of the innings. It meant New Zealand had failed to use 37 deliveries.
England's batsmen were never likely to be taken out of a comfort zone with such a modest chase, and openers Cook and Ian Bell soon put things firmly on track
Bell (24) mis-pulled first-change Andrew Ellis (2-35) to be caught at deep midwicket and there was a minor wobble when Jonathan Trott (38) and Cook were both caught behind to loose shots in successive overs from Southee.
But a stand of 56 between Eoin Morgan (39) and Joe Root (28 not out) helped settle the issue with 12.3 overs to spare.
http://www.skysports.com/cricket/match_report/0,19822,11066_13559_1,00.html

Pakistan follow-on after seven-wicket burst from South Africa's debut seamer Kyle Abbott

South Africa seamer Kyle Abbott marked his Test debut with figures of 7-29 as Pakistan were made to follow-on at Centurion.

Pakistan were bowled out for 156 in reply to South Africa's 409 and then slipped to 14-1 in their second innings at stumps on day two of the final Test, still 239 runs behind.
South Africa, who need a win to complete a 3-0 series sweep, advanced their first innings from 334-6 to 409 all out at the start of the day.
AB de Villiers, on 98 overnight, completed his 16th Test century before being eighth out for 121, one of left-arm paceman Rahat Ali's 6-127 haul.
Openers Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat put on 46 either side of lunch as Pakistan made a promising start in reply.

Collapse

But Farhat's exit, lbw to Vernon Philander for 30, sparked a collapse as South Africa's seam attack ran riot.
Abbott, a 25-year-old who was the leading wicket taker in South Africa's first-class competition this season and only playing in this game due to Jacques Kallis' calf strain, claimed Hafeez as his maiden Test scalp.
Philander (2-30) bowled Azhar Ali (6) and Dale Steyn (1-25) chipped in with the wicket of Asad Shafiq (6) but otherwise it was the Abbott show as he ran through the lower order.
Younus Khan was last out, lbw to Abbott, for 33, the top score of an innings lasting 46.4 overs.
Abbott's figures are the second best by a South African on debut, only bettered by Lance Klusener - his bowling coach at the Dolphins franchise - who claimed 8-64 against India in Kolkata in 1996.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith enforced the follow-on and Steyn promptly bowled Hafeez for a duck with the first ball of Pakistan's second innings.
Ali and Younus managed to negotiate the final nine overs of a miserable day for Pakistan without further loss.
http://www.skysports.com/cricket/match_report/0,19822,11066_13505_1,00.html

Robin van Persie hurt his hip in Manchester United's 2-0 win at QPR

Sir Alex Ferguson is confident Robin van Persie will be fit to face Real Madrid after the Manchester United striker picked up an injury in the 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers.

Van Persie hurt his hip after colliding with a camera in the build-up to United's first goal and he was eventually replaced six minutes before half-time by Danny Welbeck.
The Premier League's top scorer will be assessed in the next few days, but Ferguson expects the Dutchman to be available for the second leg of the UEFA Champions League tie against Real on Tuesday 5th March.
"He collided into a camera which was dug out of a piece of ground, he collided into the base of it and that's given him a sore hip," Ferguson told Sky Sports.

"I imagine it will be tender and sore for a few days, but hopefully he'll be alright, particularly for the Real game."
The victory at Loftus Road was secured by a stunning goal from Rafael and a late finish from the evergreen Ryan Giggs, and opened up a 15-point gap to reigning champions Manchester City.
Ferguson added: "We're in a better position today than we were yesterday. It's one game less and it's really important that the only way we approach it is by winning the next game and then try winning the next game.
"It was a lively pitch, a tight ground and it was a game more about determination and concentration, particularly the defending part, which we did very well.
"It was a little scrappy at times, but we got a fantastic goal to set us up to make us hard to beat. It was a great strike from Rafael and he has made a great contribution this season."
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11667/8519937/Robin-van-Persie-hurt-his-hip-in-Manchester-United-s-2-0-win-at-QPR

Super Rugby: Morne Steyn stars as Bulls beat Stormers

Six penalties from Morne Steyn and a controversial try by Chiliboy Ralepelle handed the Bulls a 25-17 win over the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

A man-of-the-match display from Steyn proved the difference between the sides as he landed all seven of his attempts at goal.
Television match official Johan Greeff rubber-stamped Ralepelle's 68th minute try that killed off any hope the trailing Stormers had of getting back into the game.
A scrappy first half came to and end with the Bulls leading 9-0 thanks to three penalties from Steyn, who was pin-point accurate with his kicking both out of hand and from the tee.
The scoreline was flattering to the Stormers, who were looking decidedly rusty and really should have been made to pay for their 10 handling errors in the opening 40 minutes.
Steyn extended the lead to 12-0 shortly after the restart with another long-range effort as the Stormers scrum buckled.

Woeful

The visitors' cause was not helped by woeful place-kicking of Elton Jantjies, who missed all four of his kicks in his first game in the blue and white hoops.
Skipper Jean de Villiers finally put the Stormers on the board when he scored an opportunistic try after Bryan Habana was stopped just inches short. Joe Pietersen took over the kicking duties from Jantjies and landed the conversion and a penalty soon afterward to narrow the gap at 12-10.
Steyn replied with his fifth and sixth successful kicks however to leave the Bulls eight points ahead on the hour mark.
Ralepelle's try would be the killer blow as he collected Francois Hougaard's grubber from an offside position before diving in under the sticks. The TMO ruled that the ball had connected with the leg of Frans Malherbe, putting Ralepelle onside and the try was approved.
A late consolation try from Andries Bekker when the Bulls defence finally cracked proved too little too late for the visitors to salvage a losing bonus point and they head to the Shark Tank next week empty-handed.
http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,,11069_57853_1,00.html

Super Rugby: The Brumbies made to two wins from two games with victory over the Rebels

The Brumbies produced a dominant second-half display to beat the Rebels 30-13 in Melbourne.

Jake White's side, who beat the Waratahs in their opening match of the Super Rugby season, had trailed 13-7 after 34 minutes.
However they racked up 23 unanswered points to wrap up a bonus-point win.
The in-form Jesse Mogg had opened the scoring but it was Clyde Rathbone's 35th-minute try that kick-started their challenge.
Ben Mowen and Robbie Coleman crossed for tries after the interval as the pressure told, while Christian Lealiifano landed 10 points.
The Rebels, who edged out the Reds last week, had looked well set as eight points from James O'Connor and Scott Higginbotham's first try for the franchise had put them into the lead.
However injuries to a number of key players - including O'Connor and Kurtley Beale - hampered their cause, while Jarrod Saffy was sin-binned.

Flying start

The Brumbies had got off to a flying start as Mogg scored his third try in two games after just five minutes. The full-back chipped over the Rebels defence and then outpaced O'Connor and Nic Phipps to get his hands to the ball first. Lealiifano added the extras.
The Rebels, though, were enjoying more of possession and territory and having missed an earlier effort, O'Connor got the Rebels up and running with a penalty after 15 minutes.
Three minutes later and the hosts were in front as Higginbotham scored following an impressive break and offload from O'Connor.
O'Connor converted and added another penalty to put the Rebels clear.
However the Brumbies cut the deficit to just a point, with Rathbone finishing superbly in the corner for his first try since returning to Super Rugby after a three-year absence.
Lealiifano missed the conversion but he was on target after the interval with two penalties to give the visitors the lead.
However the decisive score came when Mowen scooped up a loose ball and galloped clear when Alex Rokobaro failed to gather Matt Toomua's up and under. Lealiifano converted.
Any hopes of the Rebels staging a fightback soon vanished as Saffy was sinbinned with 12 minutes left for deliberately killing the ball.
And the Brumbies rubbed salt in the wounds when replacement Coleman burrowed over after a sustained spell of pressure on the Rebels line.
http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,,11069_57854_1,00.html

Super Rugby: The Chiefs secure bonus-point win over the Highlanders

The Chiefs got their title defence off to an impressive start as they beat the Highlanders 41-27 in Dunedin.

It was a rip-roaring start to their campaign and the match could have gone either way before the Chiefs finally edged clear deep into the second half.
Both sides played with adventure and attacking intent, with seven tries scored in total - and three or four contenders for the try of the season award.
Tim Nanai-Williams scored two absolute crackers for the defending champions - with his second sealing the bonus point and putting the game beyond the hosts - while Patrick Osborne and Asaeli Tikoirotuma also crossed.
Gareth Anscombe weighed in with 21 points on his debut for the Chiefs following his move from the Blues - and looked a class act in attack.
Ben Smith, Hosea Gear and Kade Poke all crossed for the Highlanders, while Lima Sopoaga slotted over 12 points.
However despite leading 27-21 after an hour, they just couldn't hold on - although they will be pleased with plenty of aspects of their play.

Brilliantly

The Chiefs had opened the scoring through the boot of Anscombe before the Highlanders crossed for the first try after 12 minutes.
Smith finished off a sustained spell of pressure brilliantly, with the full-back picking the ball up off his boots from Sopoaga's offload before spinning out the tackle to score. Sopoaga converted.
The Chiefs' response was immediate as Nanai-Williams scored an amazing individual try as he exploited a gap in the midfield, goose-stepped past Smith and sprinted clear.
Anscombe converted and then added two penalties to put the Chiefs into a commanding lead.
The Highlanders hit back before the break, though, with poor defending allowing Gear to score. The winger stepped inside two players before brushing aside Hika Elliot. Sopoaga converted to cut the deficit to two points at the break.
The deficit became a lead two minutes into the second half as Sopoaga added a penalty only for the Chiefs to cross again - with superb hands from Anscombe sending Osborne over for his first Super Rugby try.
The lead was short-lived, though, as more weak defending - this time from Nanai-Williams - allowed Poki to breakaway to score. Sopoaga slotted over the conversion and a penalty to make it 27-21.
The Chiefs were back in front on the hour-mark when Liam Messam and Augustine Pulu combined to send Tikoirotuma over, with Anscombe adding the conversion.
The game was wide open, with both teams throwing the ball about. And it was the Chiefs that profited. John Hardie was guilty of coughing up position just outside the Chiefs 22 and Nanai-Williams scooped the ball up, showed the goose step again before accelerating down the touchline for the decisive try.
Anscombe converted and then added two more penalties to put the game out of sight.
http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,,11069_57852_1,00.html

Super Rugby: Blues claim surprise win over the Hurricanes

The Blues made a superb start to their Super Rugby season as they claimed a 34-20 bonus-point win over the Hurricanes at Westpac Stadium.

Despite winning just four matches last year and being one of the most unfancied sides at the start of the current campaign, the visitors shocked the Hurricanes by scoring four tries in a comfortable win.
Frank Halai grabbed a brace while Charles Piutau and Rene Ranger also crossed, with Piri Weepu kicking the remaining points for the Auckland-based side.
The Hurricanes, who were without the injured Cory Jane, led at half-time but were overrun in the second period by an impressive Blues back-line.
The Blues got off to a good start as Weepu slotted over a penalty for a 3-0 lead, but the Hurricanes responded soon after as Beauden Barrett levelled the scores the kicked another three points to give the hosts the lead.
It was not long until the Blues' backs were firing, however, as George Moala smashed his way through Conrad Smith before Ranger fired a miss pass out to Halai for the opening try.

Passive

But the Blues looked passive in defence and allowed Julian Savea to go over in the corner, with Barrett's conversion giving the home side a 13-8 lead before Weepu narrowed matters with his second penalty.
The Blues started well in the second half, Chris Noakes breaking through before a second-man play out wide saw full-back Charles Piutau crash over the line.
The Hurricanes got their noses back in front when referee Vinny Munro then controversially sin-binned Halai for purposely knocking the ball into the in-goal area and awarded the hosts a penalty try.
The Blues may have been expected to crumble at that point but instead produced a brilliant response, which started when Weepu sent over a penalty to narrow the deficit to just a point with 20 minutes remaining.
Outside centre Ranger then put his side ahead with a brilliant try as he brushed off three defenders to storm over the line.
Moala then grabbed and interception and raced 40 metres downfield, and from the ensuing ruck the ball was spun wide for Halai to crash over for his second try. A penalty on full-time by Weepu put the icing on the cake as the Blues came away with five points.
http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,,11069_57857_1,00.html

Super Rugby: Reds beat Watarahs at Suncorp Stadium

The Reds notched their first Super Rugby win of the campaign, surviving a fightback from the Waratahs to record a 25-17 success at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

The Reds were poor when losing their opener 24-6 against the Brumbies last weekend but bounced back 25-17 in this interstate derby.
Brendan McKibbon booted the visitors into an early lead but the Reds quickly responded via a Dom Shipperley try, converted by Mike Harris.
Centre Ben Tapuai then intercepted and raced 40 metres to notch the Reds' second touchdown, again converted by Harris.
Harris kept his 100 per cent record at goal with a penalty as the Reds went into the interval 17-3 ahead against the rusty Waratahs, who had a bye last week.
But after the break the visitors looked a lot more lively and hit back with a try from Israel Folau, converted by Bernard Foley to reduce the deficit to seven points.
Ben Volavola then notched a try on debut, concerted by Foley to level the match.
But the Reds were not to be denied and Harris kicked a monster penalty from halfway to put the hosts three points ahead.
And Tapuai ran in his second try of the game to make sure of the win that sees the Reds climb off the foot of the early table.
http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,,11069_57858_1,00.html

Super Rugby: Sharks hold off Cheetahs' late burst

The Sharks survived a dramatic comeback to begin their Super Rugby campaign with a 29-22 victory over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

The visitors dominated the first half but if Pat Lambie had not steadily kicked 19 points then Sharks might have come undone after the break.
John Plumtree's Cheetahs scored one try more than their opponents with Philip van der Walt, Lappies Labuschagne and Johann Sadie going over in response to efforts from Lwazi Mvovo and Marcell Coetzee, with Johan Goosen kicking seven points.
Cheetahs did open the scoring, though, with Van der Walt dotting down under a mass of bodies after his team had launched a driving maul five metres from Sharks' try-line.
They would not score again in the first half and Sharks slowly pulled away with a succession of penalties before Mvovo's try on the half-hour mark.
Lambie had already kicked the visitors into a 9-5 lead thanks to three penalties awarded for ruck infringements, with Frans Viljoen culpable for the first.
Cheetahs were under the cosh and Mvovo soon capitalised on a loose ball tapped from a line-out by Ryan Kankowski to race past Cheetahs defenders before going over.

Pressed on

Sharks pressed on after the interval, with Coetzee diving over with the ball after Jacques Botes unloaded having been stopped just short of the try-line.
Lambie converted to make it 23-5 and the 22-year-old put three more points on the board when Lourens Adriaanse was penalised for a scrum infringement.
With 59 minutes played Cheetahs got back among the tries, Labuschagne getting over for his first Super Rugby try after Van der Walt had surged through the Sharks defence.
Goosen's first accurate kick of the match sailed through the posts and Cheetahs made it 17-26 when Sadie took the kicker's pass to beat Tendai Mtawarira and dot down in the corner. The extras came through Goosen and all of a sudden Cheetahs were back in the game.
A Sharks infringement allowed Goosen to narrow the gap to four points with 12 minutes remaining but Lambie confirmed the away victory when he completed a personal haul of 19 points with a late penalty after Boom Prinsloo had infringed at a ruck.
http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,,11069_57856_1,00.html