Good Week/Bad Week

Skysports.com picks out the best and the worst from the last seven days of sporting action.

We look back on the winners and losers from the past seven days

Another spectacular seven days left us with the usual amount of glory and agony as international contests took centre stage in several sports. There were also returns to form for two global superstars while the Rugby Football Union meted out a heavy punishment, controversy reigned in Las Vegas and one man's dominance of Formula One was temporarily halted. Take a look at our pick of the winners and losers and have your say using the feedback form below.

Good week

England

At the same time England's footballers were claiming a hard-fought friendly win over Spain at Wembley on Saturday, the nation's rugby league team was in the process of securing a more meaningful victory. Steve McNamara's side qualified for the final of the Four Nations in some style with a dominant 28-6 win over holders and reigning world champions New Zealand in Hull. England were on top for the vast majority of match but the Kiwis did not give in until the closing stages, when James Graham and Sam Tomkins ran in tries to add to earlier scores from Tom Briscoe and Ryan Hall. The hosts should now head into their showdown with Australia at Elland Road full of confidence as they look to upset the odds and condemn the Kangaroos to a rare defeat.

Republic of Ireland

Wild cats hiding in sacks or not, it would take a miracle for Ireland to fall short of Euro 2012 after a 4-0 demolition of Estonia in the first leg of their play-off clash. Skipper Robbie Keane scored twice while Keith Andrews and Jon Walters also netted as Giovanni Trapattoni's men ran riot in Tallinn against a side that were eventually reduced to nine men. And Ireland now only need to complete the formality of the return leg in Dublin in order to qualify for their first major tournament since the 2002 World Cup.

Roger Federer

It is not often that you can describe a 16-time grand slam winner as the forgotten man of tennis, but Federer has thrust himself firmly back into the limelight over the last seven days. One week after taking his first title of any description since January, the Swiss maestro claimed his biggest win of 2011 by clinching the Paris Masters title with a 6-1 7-6 win over home favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. With back-to-back titles now under his belt, Federer looks to be coming into form just at the right time ahead of the defence of his ATP World Tour Finals crown in London.

Tiger Woods

Is there finally a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel for the American superstar? It would seem so after his third-placed finish at the Australian Open. A third round of 75 may have scuppered his chances of victory but a pair of 68s and a 67 ensured that the 35-year-old finished prominently in a high-quality field at the Lakes Golf Club. His two-year wait for a title may not have been ended but, finally, there are some positive signs and the man who used to dominate golf has now climbed to the heady heights of 50 in the world rankings.

Bad week

Australia

Australia barely escaped setting the lowest Test score of all time against South Africa at Newlands, and were still disappointed to lose despite being bowled out for 47 in their second innings. If it were not for a last-wicket stand between Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon, the tourists may well have 'bettered' New Zealand's record of 26 all out, set in 1955. After Australia were dismissed for 284 in their first innings, they skittled the Proteas for just 96 before themselves capitulating in even more spectacular fashion on a remarkable second day of action. Given the rate at which wickets were falling Australia still had high hopes of preventing South Africa from chasing down a target of 236, but the insanity eventually abated and Michael Clarke's side were not saved from embarrassment.

Manny Pacquiao

Pacquiao's win-loss record may have improved after securing his 59th victory over the weekend but the Filipino's pound-for-pound stock took a big hit due to an unconvincing display. What poor Juan Manuel Marquez must do to get a win over his great rival is anyone's guess as he lost another close decision despite dominating the middle rounds with the cleaner and more accurate shots. Instead of the two losses and one draw he does have, some believe the Mexican did enough to win all three fights in his trilogy with Pacquiao, who might now be classed as the underdog should his long called-for showdown with Floyd Mayweather ever take place.

Mike Tindall

The England centre's international career could be over after he was punished by the RFU for his conduct during the recent World Cup. Tindall was fined the not-insignificant sum of £25,000 and dropped from the elite player squad following an investigation into his actions, including the infamous night out in Queenstown. To make matters worse his club side Gloucester were then cruelly denied what would have been a great win in their Heineken Cup opener against Toulouse, although Tindall's performance did earn the praises of boss Bryan Redpath.

Sebastian Vettel

Vettel is now a double world champion and Formula One's new golden boy but was still left looking thoroughly cheesed off by his first-lap exit at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The German, who had one day earlier equalled Nigel Mansell's record of 14 pole positions in one season, had a bizarre tyre failure just two corners into Sunday's race. He had to lumber back to the pits and damaged the Red Bull's suspension in the process, forcing him to retire for the first time this season and ending any hopes he had of drawing level with Michael Schumacher's mark of 13 wins in a single campaign.