t this trip is a redemption trip," Watson said. "Those

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- The Lions extended their unexpectedly bright start to Super Rugby when they beat the Blues 39-36 for the first time since 2006 in a see-saw battle at Ellis Park on Saturday. Although the hosts were outscored five tries to three by the team from Auckland, Marnitz Boshoff landed four penalties and two dropped goals to give them their third win in five games since returning to the competition. The Lions missed out on Super Rugby in 2013 when they lost their place to the Southern Kings, and were expected to struggle after earning their way back into the tournament through a playoff victory. However Saturdays win put them fourth in the standings, while the Blues were 13th after a third loss in four games. The first half belonged entirely to the Lions, as they bounced into the break with a 17-0 lead. After the game had gone scoreless for the first 30 minutes, Blues prop Charlie Faumuina was yellow carded for collapsing a maul close to his own tryline, and two minutes later scrum-half Francois de Klerk capitalized on the numerical advantage to score the games first try. Boshoff added the conversion and a dropped goal, before Courtnall Skosan went over on the stroke of half-time gave the Lions a significant advantage. Boshoff added a penalty after the break to push the gap to 20 points, and the Blues earned a second yellow card when Tom Donnelly failed to use his arms whilst clearing out a ruck. However when the lock returned, the Blues came roaring back into the match with two tries in three minutes to narrow the deficit to eight points. Coenie van Wyks try with 20 minutes remaining gave the Lions some breathing room, but the Blues kept coming and Frank Halai held off a defender to score under the posts moments later. Boshoffs penalty made it 33-22 with 10 minutes to play, only for centre George Moalas converted try to put the Blues within four points. However a couple of penalties from Boshoff made the game safe, ensuring that Benji Marshalls 80th minute try gave the Blues no more than a losing bonus point. ------ Lions 39 (Francois de Klerk, Courtnall Skosan, Coenie van Wyk tries; Marnitz Boshoff 3 conversions, 4 penalties, 2 dropped goals), Blues 36 (Charles Piutau, Bryn Hall, Frank Halai, George Moala, Benji Marshall tries; Chris Noakes 2 conversions, penalty, Simon Hickey 2 conversions). HT: 17-0 Cheap Authentic Jerseys 2020 . - The Minnesota Vikings have ruled Christian Ponder out for Sundays game at Baltimore, because the quarterback has not yet passed all of his post-concussion tests. Wholesale Jerseys Review ... maybe even more than that. Maybe all season I have to take a few blows. http://www.wholesalejerseysreview.com/ . Now Arizonas new manager is hoping Yasmany Tomas can have the same effect on the Diamondbacks. Wholesale China Jerseys Free Shipping . And yet as they left TD Garden amid the slush and snow of a winter storm on Thursday evening, there was a sense among the Leafs that they had finally stood toe to toe with their long-time bully, only to fall just short. Cheap Jerseys 2020 . LOUIS -- The St.GLENEAGLES -- European captain Paul McGinley is having second thoughts about a Rory McIlroy-Graeme McDowell partnership in the Ryder Cup. Attribute that to an ordinary record, not an acrimonious lawsuit. The Northern Irish duo has made it clear in recent weeks that McIlroys lawsuit against Dublin-based Horizon Sports Management -- which involves allegations against McDowell -- has not affected their friendship and would not be a problem at Gleneagles this week. "Both of them have assured me all along that theres no issue, and thats the way Ive always seen it," McGinley said Monday in the opening news conference of Ryder Cup week. "Whether they come together or not is another story." McDowell and McIlroy are longtime friends and major champions. They have been Ryder Cup partners for all but one session dating to 2010 at Wales, though their record is hardly impressive. They have won only two of those matches and halved another. "Three or four months ago, I had a very strong view that they would have been (partners)," McGinley said. "But the more I look at their statistics, and the more I look at the different value I have with them, Im thinking there may be a value in not doing it. But if I dont do it, it certainly wont be because of any issues. "As both of them have said, there are no issues between them and both will be happy to play together," he said. "But it will be my decision ultimately." Both teams arrived at Gleneagles on a relatively quiet day in which a haircut attracted most of the attention. Rickie Fowler, a teen idol in golf circles, stepped off the U.S. charter at Edinburgh with "USA" cut into the side of his hair. Even old-school Tom Watson, the 65-year-old American captain, liked it. "I thought it was terrific," Watson said. "It brings a light spirit to the team." The Americans flew overnight as a team, and planned little more than chipping and putting Monday before getting started on their practice rounds. Watson has reminded them from his vast experience -- only three American players were even born when Watson played his first Ryder Cup in 1977 -- not to worry if it takes a few days for their golf games to come around. Halff of the European team lives in Florida and players began arriving in the U.ddddddddddddK. over the last week. McIlroy left Horizon more than a year ago and their lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial as early as January. An Irish judge has recommended that both sides go through mediation because of sensitive material that would be public. Among other things, McIlroy has alleged that McDowell received more favourable contract terms from Horizon, and McIlroys lawyers have requested confidential documents. McDowell announced last week that he also was leaving Horizon, under amicable terms, to put his own team around him. They said they remain close and even had dinner together in Denver earlier this month. McIlroy has had only one other partner in his two Ryder Cups. He was with Ian Poulter in fourballs in the final session at Medinah two years ago, and it was memorable. Poulter birdied his last five holes to give Europe an improbable point, and plenty of momentum that carried the side to a stunning comeback to retain the cup. That has become a focal point for the American side. "I made it very clear to them that this trip is a redemption trip," Watson said. "Those players that played on that team, its time to make amends and try to redeem yourselves from what happened in 2012. I think its a motivation rather than a negative." Europe is considered a favourite, and McGinley believes that to be a badge of honour instead of a burden. "We have been favourites before," said McGinley, who has never been part of a losing Ryder Cup team as a player or vice captain. "And I think our players deserved it. The guys have worked very hard to be in the position they are." Even so, he has implored his team not to read too much into it. Europe has won only three of the last 13 sessions dating to 2008, and just two sessions in the last two Ryder Cups they won. The matches have been close, and the rosters of both teams indicated Gleneagles could be another replay of that. "This is not a weak American team," McGinley said. "We might be slight favourites with the bookies, but the two teams are very well balanced and very close together. We know its going to be a very tough contest ahead of us." ' ' '