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CARDIFF -- Wales gave a two-time defending champions response to a demoralizing defeat by whipping France 27-6 and keeping its Six Nations title defence alive on Friday. Kony Ealy Jersey . So shaken to the core was Wales by its 26-3 demolition from Ireland, the only unbeaten team left in the championship, that coach Warren Gatland warned his British Lions-laden side that careers were on the line under the Millennium Stadium roof. The players answer was a robust performance of power, pace and poise, adding up to a third straight win over France last achieved 42 years ago. "That was the response we were looking for," captain Sam Warburton said. "We knew we had it in us." He admitted playing for their jobs was also an incentive. "We said in the week that we dont want to take our places for granted. We have probably worked our hardest in the last two weeks," he said. Stand-in centre George North scored after five minutes and fullback Leigh Halfpennys boot punished frequent French errors and a second-rate scrum with five penalties that propped up a 20-6 halftime lead. When Warburton reached out to plant the ball on the line in the 64th, the score became Wales biggest win over France at home since 1950. That margin will be vital in terms of points difference in the standings if Wales, which jumped over previously unbeaten France into second place, can stay on track and Ireland lose somewhere. The Irish are at Twickenham on Saturday. Wales performance wasnt assured beforehand, certainly not after lock Alun-Wyn Jones, who captained the Lions in their series-clinching win in Australia last year, withdrew just before the match with a foot injury. That gave a second Welshman, Jake Ball, his first test start beside scrumhalf Rhys Webb, whose zippy pass was a big factor in Wales frantic start. Five minutes in, lineout ball was spread left and inside centre Jamie Roberts drew two defenders. North gave Halfpenny an overlap and he chipped ahead. France fullback Bruce Dulin claimed the ball just before the tryline, but he was accidentally clipped in the head by teammate Jean-Marc Doussain and dropped the ball, which North pounced on in goal. Halfpenny couldnt convert. He seemed to kick only the hardest goalkicks, and France kept giving him chances, especially from a scrum that Wales eventually got on top of. Captain Pascal Pape conceded the second penalty from a ruck, and tighthead prop Nicolas Mas the third for slipping in a scrum. Wesley Fofana was milked by North in a ruck for Halfpennys fourth, and a tighthead conceded just before halftime ended up giving Halfpenny his fifth penalty. Moments before then, referee Alain Rolland told both captains the scrum was a mess and threatened to dish out cards. He upheld his promise in the 50th, sin-binning Mas and counterpart Gethin Jenkins. By then, Wales was in charge and the outmuscled French had few options. "It was a catastrophic first half, our discipline was poor, and we gave away too many penalties," France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said. "We were totally apathetic in the first half." Dulin said, "They got on top of us very quickly and we couldnt pull ourselves together. We didnt go about things the right way. "We didnt start the game well and they just gained in confidence. After their match against Ireland they really wanted to put their foot down." France had a try rightfully disallowed early in the first half for a knockon, but the backs received no ball and didnt go close again until the 50th, when centre Mathieu Bastareaud slipped North and was stopped just short of the tryline, and couldnt offload to Dulin or winger Hugo Bonneval. The French backs were more involved in the second half, but Wales defence was smothering. Frustrated No. 8 Louis Picamoles got himself sin-binned in the 62nd and Wales took advantage. From a Roberts barging run up the middle, Warburton charged off a ruck and just managed in a double tackle with an outstretched arm to put the ball on the line. With 10 minutes to go, Wales substituted Adam Jones and Jenkins, Ball, Dan Lydiate, Webb, Rhys Priestland and Halfpenny, and all were cheered off as returning heroes deserve to be. http://www.panthersstore.us.com/Black-29-Bene-Benwikere-Womens-Jersey/ . The No. 1-ranked tennis player and six-time major champion is engaged to long-time girlfriend Jelena Ristic, according to his Twitter account. Kelvin Benjamin Panthers Jersey . - 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.HULL, England -- Manchester City overcame the early sending-off of captain Vincent Kompany to beat Hull 2-0 thanks to goals by David Silva and Edin Dzeko on Saturday, keeping the team in touch with Premier League leader Chelsea. Silva curled home the opening goal from outside the area in the 14th minute, just as City was reorganizing following a straight red card to Kompany for a professional foul on Nikica Jelavic in the 10th. Citys defence, often criticized this season, held firm and Silva set up Dzeko for the second in the 90th minute. Manuel Pellegrinis team reduced the gap to Chelsea to six points with two games in hand. Chelsea plays later Saturday at Aston Villa. City was playing three days after losing to Barcelona away in the Champions League in the last 16, so the last thing the visitors needed was to be reduced to 10 men early on. But thats what happened when Kompany was dispossessed by Jelavic about 40 metres out from his own goal and proceeded to tug at the jersey of the Croatia striker. As he was the last man, Kompany had to go and, having already shown his frustration on the pitch, he kicked out at a wall in the tunnel as he walked back to the dressing room. Pellegrini reacted by dropping holding midfielder Javi Garciia back into defence alongside Martin Demichelis but the changes had no adverse effect, with City going ahead four minutes later. Panthers DeAngelo Williams Two Tone Jersey. Yaya Toure slipped a short ball through to Silva, who curled a brilliant shot inside the post from 25 yards. Pablo Zabaleta almost doubled the lead when he sent a dipping volley against the underside of the bar in the 31st minute. From then on, it was mostly Hull on the attack, without seriously testing City goalkeeper Joe Hart. David Meyler had a goal disallowed for offside, Jake Livermore shot just wide from 20 metres and, just after the break, Jelavic didnt get enough purchase on a free kick as Hart easily saved. Fernandinho spurned a great chance for the City in the 72nd when he ran onto Silvas deflected shot, but all alone in the penalty box, he screwed a left-footed shot wide. Minutes earlier, Hart escaped a red card after motioning his head toward George Boyd after the Hull midfielder tumbled under a challenge by the goalkeeper. Hart was booked. Dzeko, playing on his own up front in the absence of the injured Sergio Aguero, grabbed his first goal in nine games in all competitions with a fierce left-foot shot with seconds left in normal time to end Hulls hopes of a point. ' ' '