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Time, perhaps, for the invocation of a few small mercies. Anything, so long as it inserts a little calm and perspective into the psychodrama which seems to afflict Wales along with every autumn programme.Things could, and very often have been worse. Think back four years to the same point in the World Cup cycle, when Wales went into the autumn proclaiming top four ambitions, and wound up instead plunging into the third seeds. This time theyve finished fifth. While that isnt proof against a gruesome Six Nations, it makes it likelier that Wales will be among the second seeds when the 2019 draw is made -- later than last time, but still ridiculously early, next May.And when something has happened only three times in 110 years, it is not to be sniffed at. South Africa may be at what many reckon is an all-time low, but still had to be beaten. So too did Argentina and Japan. And while one would hope for Wales to beat both at home, neither is to be taken for granted.There were fine individual performances, with the mild frustration that the best -- from Ross Moriarty and, particularly against South Africa, Justin Tipuric -- were in the back row, already richly served. Leigh Halfpenny re-integrated himself after a years absence. And if there were continuing reminders of Sam Warburtons physical fragility and the loss of Rhys Webb, it has to be accepted that any rugby team at any time will have to cope with injured absentees.And while four matches remains one too many, at least this year we are spared the spectacle of Welsh players being plunged straight back into European competition, with an inevitably deleterious effect on performances in the pivotal third and fourth weekends of the pool stage. This time, that is Englands problem.So why the angst? One reason was the hideous 32-8 mullering inflicted by Australia on the opening weekend, a humiliation on a scale which it seemed -- except perhaps for odd occasions against the All Blacks at their best -- was a thing of the past. It is one thing to be out-thought and narrowly defeated by Australia -- an all-too familiar script over the past few years -- but still more disappointing to be outplayed, including several cases of simple out-muscling, in pretty much every phase and for a 24-point defeat to, if anything, understate the gulf between the teams.Anyone told that Saturday evening that Wales would win their remaining matches might have felt some relief. But there is little sense of that now, in part because of the nature of those victories.One element is perhaps an underrating of Japan and Argentina. But another is that Wales play was so dull, unimaginative and stereotypical. Nothing new about that, one might say. Wales have been dull, unimaginative and stereotypical for the last few years, but grateful for the results that power rugby has brought, particularly in the Six Nations. This, again, is nothing new -- Welsh antecedents of Warrenball include, arguably, the power-based Triple Crown Rugby with which John Gwilliams teams won Grand Slams in 1950 and 1952.But one difference is that the Welsh public had been offered hints of something more varied and interesting over the last couple of years. The displacement of Alex Cuthbert by Liam Williams and Mike Phillips by Rhys Webb in the first choice starting line-up pointed Wales in a new direction, with power leavened by subtler footballing skills.And there is clearly a desire to move on among the Welsh coaching staff. Wonderfully though Jamie Roberts has served Wales, the willingness to bench him against Argentina and South Africa also showed recognition that straight Warrenball will no longer serve.At the same time such transitions are tough. Players must learn new habits and instincts, and to apply learning from the training field into pressurised match situations in front of large, demanding crowds. Mistakes of the sort seen against Japan are inevitable, and it becomes all too easy to retreat into older, safer modes and to cling on for instance to the selectorial comfort object represented by the experience and physical presence of the haplessly out-of-form Cuthbert.One has to feel some sympathy for Robert Howley, in a position of responsibility without power. If he does well, Warren Gatland still returns in 2017 for another two years. But doing badly could trash his chances of the succession once and for all.And we also might wonder if the academies are producing the right sort of player. There are gymrats aplenty, and those who are happy to be told what to do. But are they encouraging the sort of player on whom the most effective Welsh traditions have been founded -- the instinctive ball players who have the skills and imagination to play with their heads up, responding to match situations as well as to gameplans?Sam Davies is that kind of player. But does the Wales management truly have the confidence of its apparent convictions? If it did, it would surely have given him rather more game time, if not so much of it at fullback, and in particular would have started him ahead of the safer but somewhat prosaic Gareth Anscombe against Japan.Nor do the management always help themselves. Howleys comments about having to earn the right to offload suggests a continuing subordination to structure. Of course Wales must get defensive and set-piece fundamentals right -- their absence was the most alarming aspect of the surrender to Australia -- but whether or not to offload is surely a matter of recognising and taking opportunities as they occur rather than any process of earning.And if the exciting Keelan Giles really is old enough if hes good enough, why was the opportunity not taken to give him a few minutes at some point ? A succession of tight finishes did not, admittedly, help. But giving anyone a debut at any time has an element of risk. Among Wales previous teenage shooting stars Tom Prydie ultimately was not good enough, but George North was. The only way to find out was to give them game time. Not taking that calculated risk in the autumn means either forgetting him for the rest of the season, or taking it amid the far greater pressures of the Six Nations.And that of course is the final element in the Welsh mood, a sense of lagging behind the progress apparently being made by the other five. We can see the power, the confidence and the strength in depth, of England. Ireland not only beat the All Blacks, but seem to be unearthing a fresh generation of backs with the heads-up, close-to-the-line quality that Wales wants but somehow lacks. France might, with a little more composure, have beaten the All Blacks, Italy beat the Boks -- whatever their quality, a huge psychological breakthrough for the Italians -- and the Scots are now sourcing dynamic centres with extremely Welsh names.A mood of unease is better, one supposes, than depression or outright panic, both of which have gripped Wales during past autumn programmes. But it is hardly an uplifting frame of mind with which to confront the Six Nations. Mercies come little smaller. Khalen Saunders Super Bowl Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Patrick Mahomes Super Bowl Jersey . The return match will take place next Wednesday. Udinese leads Fiorentina 2-1 in the other semifinal. Napoli staged a second-half comeback from two goals down after Gervinhos opener and a stunning strike from Kevin Strootman. http://www.thechiefsshoponline.com/Youth-Breeland-Speaks-Chiefs-Jersey/ . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. Mitchell Schwartz Super Bowl Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. Eric Fisher Super Bowl Jersey . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. TORONTO -- For the first time since late April, Astros infielder Jose Altuve failed to reach base in a road game.Troy Tulowitzki and Russell Martin hit back-to-back home runs, Marcus Stroman pitched 6 1/3 innings to win for the first time in four starts and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Houston 9-2 on Sunday.Carlos Correa had three singles, extending his hitting streak to 10 games, and Jason Castro hit a solo home run for the Astros, who lost their second straight following a four-game win streak.Altuve, the American League batting leader, went 0 for 4 and failed to reach safely for the first time in 44 road games. His average dropped to .362.We often go the way he goes, manager A.J. Hinch said. Im sure everybody in the ballpark is pretty surprised when he doesnt get on base. He puts up good at bats. He did the best he could but every good thing comes to an end.Altuves 43-game streak matched Jeff Bagwell (1998) for second-longest in team history. Bagwell also holds the record for longest streak, reaching safely in 51 straight road games in 1999.Altuve stayed in the game after fouling a pitch off his left foot in the first inning. He hadnt been kept off base in a road game since April 29 at Oakland, when he went 0 for 4, snapping a 19-game on-base streak.Tulowitzki joined Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Donaldson and Michael Saunders as Blue Jays with 20 or more home runs. Toronto and Baltimore are the only two teams in the majors to boast four hitters with 20 or more homers.Toronto has 166 home runs this season, second to Baltimore. The Orioles entered play Sunday with 174.Thats what we do best, manager John Gibbons said.Encarnacion hit his 33rd home run, a solo blast off Luke Gregerson, as Blue Jays won for the eighth time in 10 meetings with the Astros. Encarnacion and Baltimores Mark Trumbo are tied for most in the majors.Containing Torontos powerful bats proved too much for the Astros, who dropped two of three to the AL East leaders.They never let up, Hinch said of the Blue Jays. Their offense is pretty potent when it getts going.ddddddddddddToronto (67-51) is a season-best 16 games above .500.Houston right-hander Mike Fiers (8-6) allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.Tulowitzki went 3 for 4 with three RBI. He hit an RBI single in the first, singled and scored in the fourth, and homered in the fifth, his 20th.(Fiers) went with the fastball, it leaked over the plate and Tulo did some damage with it, Hinch said.Martin followed with a first-pitch blast, the seventh time this season Toronto has hit consecutive home runs.First-pitch changeup, Fiers said. It seemed like he was sitting on it.Fiers has surrendered five home runs in his past two outings.They made me pay in that one inning, Fiers said. A couple of swings and the game is changed.Martin also made the defensive play of the game, leaning into Houstons first base dugout to catch Alex Bregmans foul pop up in the seventh.For a catcher, thats as good an opportunity youre going to get to make a nice play, Martin said. It felt good for sure.Stroman (9-5) allowed two runs, one earned, and five hits to win for the first time since July 20 at Arizona.CANADIAN CLUBBERSMartin and Michael Saunders (20) are the second pair of Canadian teammates to hit 10 or more home runs in a season. The first to do it were Corey Koskie (25) and Justin Morneau (19) for Minnesota in 2004.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: OF Jake Marisnick (right groin) missed his fourth straight game. Marisnick could return Tuesday against St. Louis. Houston is off Monday. ... RHP Ken Giles is expected to come off the paternity list Tuesday.UP NEXTAstros: LHP Dallas Keuchel (7-11, 4.56) faces Cardinals LHP Jamie Garcia (9-8, 3.93) on Tuesday. Keuchel pitched a three-hitter against Texas on Aug. 5.Blue Jays: Toronto opens a three-game series in New York against the Yankees on Monday. RHP R.A Dickey (8-12, 4.61) starts against RHP Chad Green (1-2, 4.94). Dickey has a 7.61 ERA in his past five starts. ' ' '