Sport in South Africa

There's probably no quicker way to "break the ice" with the South African man on the street than to demonstrate some knowledge of local soccer. To help you improve your conversational skills, here's a crash course on the country's most important teams and competitions.

SA cricket was isolated from the rest of the world for 21 years because of apartheid. Isolation came at a time when the country could fairly claim to be the top test-playing nation in the world, having just pummelled the powerful Australians.

For many South Africans, rugby is a serious matter, a source of bursting pride - or shattering disappointment. The country has traditionally fared well on the world stage, and SA fans expect the national team to win every game they play.

South Africa has the weather, the courses ... and the players. The country has produced some of the best in the game, including multiple major winners Bobby Locke, Gary Player, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and a host of others that regularly challenge for titles around the world.

Thirty-five South African fighters have won 49 world boxing titles between them - including "road warrior" Brian Mitchell, whose record 12 title defences were fought almost exclusively abroad, and "Baby Jake" Matlala, with four titles in three weight divisions.

It's no wonder that South Africans love long-distance challenges - the country's climate and contrasting landscape is ideal for endurance sport activities. Whether on land or in water, South Africans love testing their endurance ability and an ever-increasing number of people from overseas have discovered the fantastic events the country has to offer and are participating in them.

Horse racing is a popular sport in SA, with regular racing taking place around the country. The sport enjoys a long and rich history in South Africa that can be traced back to 1797!