Bye, bye Bafana!
IT WAS a harsh weekend for the country’s sports fans.
On Friday, Bafana Bafana’s dreams of going to the World Cup next year were shattered and a day later, their rugby counterparts were comprehensively outplayed in a one sided game against Ireland.
But Branden Grace restored some of the smiles when he clinched the Nedbank Golf trophy by a stroke, to produce the first winner for SA in 10 years.
However, today is D Day as far as South African rugby and the 2023 Rugby World Cup goes.
After an impressive presentation a few weeks ago by the who’s who of SA rugby, the announcement by the International Rugby Board will be made this afternoon.
The preliminary good news is in terms of the points awarded for the various aspects of the bid, the Rugby World Cup board said SA should be chosen after they gave it an overall rating of 78.97, compared with 75.88 for France and 72.25 for Ireland, across a range of criteria.
The few queries raised by the board were quickly dealt with by SA and will not impact, in my opinion, on the eventual outcome.
France has already hosted the RWC. And as for SA, who could forget that dramatic drop goal in extra time by Joel Stransky at the Ellis Park stadium that saw the host nation win the 1995 RWC?
In fact, Stransky kicked home all of the Boks points, but it was that drop goal under great pressure, that will remain forever etched in my memory.
Winning that cup was a defining moment that united the nation like no other.
I consider myself lucky to have been at the media centre and part of the 63 000 fans at the stadium and the countless millions from around the world, especially when the late great statesman Nelson Mandela, wearing the No 6 jersey and cap, presented the Bok captain, Francois Pienaar, with the Webb Ellis trophy.
The words echoed by Mandela and Pienaar immediately after the presentation still rings fresh in my mind and I still have vivid memories of that.
What also counts for SA is that we have been there and done it (hosting the tournament) with great aplomb.
But, the biggest threat to SA comes from Ireland, who have yet to be awarded the rights to host the RWC.
Ironically, the Boks played against the Irish this past Saturday.
Unfortunately, the Boks lost badly. Another factor that could go against SA is the fact that attendance around the country at Super 15 and Currie Cup games has not been impressive.
That aside, SA will host a superb World Cup.
Just look back at all the other world cup tournaments this country has hosted. Our track record, no pun intended, speaks for itself. Let’s hold thumbs!!!
Bafana Bafana’s dream of making it to next year's FIFA World Cup has been destroyed.
They needed to win both games against Senegal but failed on Friday night in Polokwane when Stuart Baxter’s men were beaten 2-0.
Let’s face it, many of us knew that it would be a bridge too far for Bafana to beat the more fancied Senegal at home and away.
So another serious introspection is required at SAFA to dissect exactly where Baxter’s men failed.
There are certain games you need to win and here I refer to being beaten by Cape Verde a few months ago, especially when the team plays on home ground.
That is where our chance to be at the next World Cup in Russia in 2018 went up in flames.
Does one blame Baxter? Absolutely! He is the man in charge entrusted with leading South Africa to the world showpiece. His tactics were questionable.
He selects the team and employs tactics and strategies to inculcate the winning mentality into the players.
Sadly, that did not happen as players on a Sunday afternoon in the park would have acquitted themselves better.
We wait with bated breath to see what SAFA’s next move will be.
Senegal, or the Lions of Teranga as they are also known, will represent Africa and we must get behind them to do well.
Congratulations to Lewis Hamilton on winning a fourth Formula 1 world title and becoming the most successful British driver of all time.
The Brit is in the form of his life and while there was a small challenge from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton’s talent and skill was just one gun too many for the German.
Fellow driver Fernando Alonso has joined retirement-Felipe Massa in acclaiming Hamilton as one of Formula One’s greatest drivers following yet another title triumph.
The two-time champion, who was Hamilton’s teammate at McLaren in 2007, has always ranked Hamilton above his peers.
Alonso’s praise followed a similarly generous assessment from Brazilian Massa, who said that Hamilton deserved his place alongside other illustrious multiple champions like Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Whilst winning his fourth title has yet to sink in, where does he draw the line?
Not just yet according to the 32-year-old, who really struggled in his early years to break into the sport, despite having the skills.
His father had to take on additional jobs just to ensure that they had some financial backing that was required in the karting stages, where Hamilton Jnr battled to get sponsorship, despite his talent being so evident. Hamilton’s story is really one to behold and learn from.