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"You become
a champion by fighting one more round. When things are tough you
fight one more round".
~ James J.Corbett
WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS Go here for all sports
update

Munster
reached their fourth Heineken Cup final after ending brave
Saracens' European adventure courtesy of a pulsating 18-16 win at
the Ricoh Arena.
The Irish
giants will now return to Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium - scene of
their 2006 title triumph against Biarritz - and an appointment with
three-time European champions Toulouse on May 24.


This week Spain's Rafael Nadal
won his fourth straight Monte Carlo Masters title. An incredible
effort, especially when you take into account the fact that he has
won the past three finals against his famous foe Roger
Federer.
Nadal and Federer have now met
15 times, with Nadal holding a 9-6 win-loss advantage over the
world No.1. Few can boast a positive record against
Federer.
But how does this rivalry rank
against recent more established rivalries?
Looking at the numbers, Federer
and Nadal have met 15 times, 11 of those matches (73%) have been
finals. This is a high percentage, but when you take into account
Nadal has been parked behind Federer in the No.2 spot for the past
144 weeks it makes sense.
Before this there was Agassi
and Sampras - two Americans whose personalities couldn't have been
more different. Agassi began his career in a blaze of media
headlines and fluoro, while Sampras rarely courted
controversy.
The Americans met 34 times with
Sampras taking the honours 20 times. On 16 occasions the two met in
a final - 47% of their matches.
The 1980s produced a few great
rivalries, some of which stretched into the early part of the
1990s.

As her
grandmother looked on, West Australian Casey Dellacqua upset former
world number one Amelie Mauresmo to advance into the fourth round
of the 2008 Australian Open.

Rugby
World Cup France2007
South
Africa for the second time take the Rugby World Cup in Paris
defeating England 15-6 in a dour try less match. A controversial
decision by TV Match Official Stuart Dickinson denied English
winger Mark Cueto a dive over try in the corner in the second half
claiming his boot just touched the line. If the try had been
allowed it would have changed the tempo of the match and may have
resulted in a different winner?.
Referees
made more of an impact on this world cup than the IRB would admit
with the NZ All Blacks sent packing by France in the quarter finals
with a missed blatant forward pass resulting in a try for
France and an absurd decision by Referee Wayne Barnes yellow
carding Luke McAllister for a supposed obstruction. IRB Referee
President NZ'der Paddy O'Brien's reaction to the bad refereeing
claims was "grow up". O'Brien's reaction says it all, referees are
untouchable and if they do come under scrutiny for bad decisions we
are told to "grow up". Perhaps O'Brien is the one who needs to grow
up and take accountably for the referees decisions which can change
the result of these type match's. Rugby Union is being bogged down
with technical phobia refereeing hindering the natural flow of the
game as the players have got bigger, stronger and faster.
The whole
IRB referee's association headed by O'Brien needs a big shake up
for the future of Rugby Union to prosper and flow as it should.
Perhaps the real problem is O'Brien at the helm of the IRB
Referees, himself a former top referee who had his own moments
during his career.

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Australia take the ashes without a struggle over
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