2008's awesome sporting lineup
Brad Morgan
15 January 2008There's plenty for sports fans to look forward to in 2008, including stiff challenges for South Africa's national teams in the country's "big three" sports - soccer, cricket and rugby - as well as other world-class fare that will keep the excitement going throughout the year.
January certainly kicks matters off with a bang, with the big focus on Bafana Bafana in the African Cup of Nations.
The tournament takes place in Ghana and, despite Carlos Alberto Parreira selecting a team with one eye on the 2010 World Cup, the side's results will be intensely scrutinised for signs of progress under the 1994 World Cup winning coach.
After using line-ups heavily weighted in favour of overseas-based players in South Africa's higher profile internationals, Parreira opted for a squad ratio of 2:1 in favour of home-based players for the Cup of Nations – 15 PSL players and eight who play abroad. In a controversial decision, Benni McCarthy, Bafana's all-time leading goal scorer was omitted from the squad.
Bafana's tough group
South Africa is in Group D and the lowest ranked of the four teams, so they face a tough challenge. Senegal, ranked 38th in the Fifa World Rankings, is the highest ranked of the sides, followed by 2004 winners' Tunisia (47th), and Angola (73rd). Bafana Bafana ended 2007 in 77th position.
Later in the year, Parreira's charges face further tough continental challenges against Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, so often a bogey team for South Africa.
If the challenge in Ghana appears tough for Bafana Bafana, spare a thought for the national men's hockey team. They face the top four teams in the world in Potchefstroom in a Five Nations Hockey Festival from 20 January to 27 January. It simply doesn't come any tougher than the opposition South Africa will face.
The top four in the world
Germany are the current world
champions and ranked number one, while world number two Australia are the Olympic champions. The Netherlands are ranked third in the world and are European champions, while Spain are ranked fourth and always a threat to beat any of the top sides.
South Africa are ranked 13th in the world, so coach Gregg Clark's charges will do well to make any sort of impact against hockey's elite.
The Hansa Powerade Dusi Canoe Marathon takes place from 17 January to 19 January between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. It's a one-of-a-kind challenge, testing not only the competitors' paddling skills but their running ability too, and that means running while carrying a big canoe as this year's race is a K2 event.
Think carefully
South Africa draws many top international paddlers to contest races such as the Fish and Berg River Canoe Marathons, but the Dusi is an event that causes overseas competitors to think very carefully before deciding to take up the
challenge; it's about more than paddling only, and the heat and humidity are massive obstacles.
KwaZulu-Natal hosts a number of other top marathon events early in the year, with the Hansa Pilsener Umkomaas taking place in February, along with the Drak Challenge, and the Tugela Marathon being held early in March.
The provincial capital, Pietermaritzburg, hosts the inaugural Intaka Tech World's View Challenge, a five-day cycling event endorsed by the world cycling's governing body, the UCI, in February.
It is the first event of its kind to be held in Africa and will include UCI ProTour, UCI Continental Pro teams and National Teams, with R650 000 in prize money up for grabs.
Barloworld on home soil
The local challenge will be spearheaded by Team Barloworld, the darlings of the 2007 Tour de France, as well as a number of local professional outfits, including Neotel and MTN, as well as the SA National Team.
Two UCI ProTour teams, Liquigas and Milram, will challenge for honours, while other entrants include the Intaka Tech South African Developement Team RSA, the Libyan Cycling Federation and Zambia.
Later in the month, the Subaru Sani2c, covering 260 kilometres from Underberg to Scottburgh in KwaZulu-Natal, will draw mountain biking enthusiasts from around the country; it is regarded as a must-do event.
March cycling highlights
March offers highlights for both "roadies" and mountain bikers: the world's largest individually timed road race, the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour, which takes place around the stunningly beautiful Cape Point, is one of only nine UCI Golden Bike events in the world and is a huge drawcard for the "roadies".
The Absa Cape Epic, also endorsed by the UCI, is a tough mountain bike test which will cover 966 kilometres and include 18 529 metres of climbing in an eight-stage race. It draws some of the world's leading MTB competitors and is broadcast throughout the world.
SAA Open tennis in East London
East London hosts the South African Airways Open tennis tournament from 12 February.
The event starts a little later than 2007's tournament and thus avoids a scheduling clash with the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year. The result is a better quality field than last year's entry.
Four Grand Slam winners have confirmed their participation, including 2002 Australian Open singles winner Thomas Johansson. Jonas Bjorkman has won nine Grand Slam titles in doubles, including victories at each of the Grand Slam tournaments, while South Africa's Wesley Moodie captured the Wimbledon doubles title in 2005. Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe has won three Grand Slam doubles titles.
Rugby's return
February also sees the rugby season kicking off, with last season's beaten finalists, the Sharks, the first of the South African teams in
action when they host the Western Force on 15 February at the Absa Stadium in Durban.
They are expected to once again challenge for the title, while the Bulls, who edged the Sharks 20-19 to become the first South African winners of the competition, will be out to defend their title.
The Super 14 runs through to 31 May when the final takes place. Only a week later, South Africa’s status as the world’s number one ranked team will be put to the test in Bloemfontein when the Springboks take on Wales in the first of two tests.
The next weekend the Boks tackle the Dragons again, followed by an outing against Italy, now being coached by former Springbok coach Nick Mallett.
True test
After that, the true test of South Africa's status takes place when the Springboks head to Australasia for three Tri-Nations tests in July, with two of them taking place in New Zealand and one in Australia.
In August, the World Cup winners are in action on home soil, facing the All Blacks in Cape Town, and Australia in Durban and Johannesburg.
As the holders of the William Webb Ellis Trophy, the men in green and gold know they now have a target drawn on their backs; every team they play will find extra motivation with the prospect of being able to lower the colours of the World Cup champions.
Cricket's sadistic schedule
It will be tough for the national rugby team, but it will arguably be even tougher for the national cricket side, which faces as tough a year as could be dreamt up by any scheduling sadist.
Well, maybe the schedulers showed they have a bit of heart by starting South Africa off with a visit from the lowly-regarded West Indies, but the islanders proved tougher in the test series – won 2-1 by SA – than had been expected.
After a five match one-day international series, the Proteas head to Bangladesh towards the end of February for a tour that includes two tests and three one-dayers. After that the challenge climbs a number of levels.
Indian tour
India host South Africa in March and they'll be ready for the SA side, coming off a tough tour of Australia and back home on pitches that favour their bowling attack. They're currently ranked second in the test standings with South Africa in fourth place; the Proteas' 2-1 win over the West Indies resulted in SA falling from second spot.
Adding a little extra spice to the series is the fact that the Indians will have a new coach when South Africa tours: Gary Kirsten, the first South African to play in 100 test matches. He retired in 2004 and is thus not that far removed from his playing career and is familiar with many of the SA players because he played alongside them.
It doesn't get any easier for South Africa after the tour of India because another tour abroad follows in July against England. The English are ranked one place behind SA in the test rankings, but they are a tough proposition on home soil and the last team to beat Australia in a series, which they achieved in England in 2005.
Stern examination
Four tests, five one-dayers, and a T20 clash will present Graeme Smith and company with a stern examination.
As tough as the tours of India and England are, they are unlikely to be as tough as the Proteas' end of year mission, once again away from home, against the all-conquering Australians.
Reputations will, no doubt, be made and tarnished during a year that will test the credentials and ability of South Africa's players to the maximum.
Golfing prowess
When it comes to golf, fans of the sport and fans of South African golfers will need to cast their eyes far and wide, for golfers from the Rainbow Nation will be found on almost every tour in the world.
Golf has rated as one of SA's most successful sports for a good number of years now and there is no reason to expect it to be any different in 2008.
If anything, even greater success should be a reasonable expectation; six South Africans are ranked in the upper-third of the top 100 in the world rankings and SA's number one, Ernie Els, has elected to travel less this year to improve his chances of success in the majors. It should be fun to watch.
Surfing's wave of success
South African surfers have enjoyed a wave of success in recent years and they will bear watching in 2008. However, one name stands out above the rest: Jordy Smith.
The winner of the ASP World Qualifying series in 2007 with a record points' total, the Durban teenager is the most exciting talent to emerge from South Africa since former world champion Shaun Tomson and he should make a big splash this year.
The Olympic Games
Clearly there is plenty to look forward to in 2008, but the biggest event of the
year has not yet been mentioned: The Olympic Games.
One of the greatest spectacles in all of sport, the Olympics in Beijing will see South Africa's leading sportsmen and sportswomen in action on the biggest stage of them all.
Competition will take place in 24 different sports and South Africa will be out to improve on Team SA's haul of six medals in Athens in 2004:
Gold
Men's 4x100m freestyle relay team (Roland Schoeman, Lyndon Ferns, Darian Townsend, Ryk Neethling) in a world record 3:13.17
Silver
Hestrie Cloete - women's high jump, 2.02 metres
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi - men's 800 metres, 1:44.61
Roland Schoeman - men's 100 metres freestyle, 48.23
Bronze
Donovan Cech / Ramon Di Clemente - men's rowing pairs, 6:33.40
Roland Schoeman - men's 50m freestyle, 22.02
Returning medal winners
The swimming relay team that set a world record in Athens is available for selection for
Beijing, while Mulaudzi, too, will be in the running for an Olympic title.
After a disappointing showing by South Africa's athletes at the World Track and Field Championships in 2007 in Osaka, the swimming pool looks likely to be SA's best bet for medals in Beijing, but titles are not won on paper and happy surprises are part and parcel of the event.
South African pride, the fans hope, will lift the country onto the medal podium a number of times at the Olympics.
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