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The first round of games is:
Friday 24 February 2012
01 Blues v Crusaders (Auckland 08:35 SA)
02 Brumbies v Force (Canberra 10:40 SA)
03 Bulls v Sharks (Pretoria 19:10 SA)

Saturday 25 February 2012
04 Chiefs v Highlanders (Hamilton 08:35 SA)
05 Waratahs v Reds (Sydney 10:40 SA)
06 Stormers v Hurricanes (Cape Town 17:05 SA)
07 Lions v Cheetahs (Johannesburg 19:10 SA)

“I feel sorry for Heyneke, because he is starting on the back foot. The franchises are already set for the new season and know the news that a new team will come into Super Rugby. The franchises will now play their players down the drain to survive, to make sure they aren’t in that bottom spot.

“It will be a very tough year, and Heyneke was only appointed now. He couldn’t sit down and talk to the franchises before they did their planning in place. He couldn’t sit down and reveal his plans and discuss with them.

He also expressed his bitterness at the way his contract had ended.

“Nobody spoke to me about it since I came back from the World Cup. Nobody spoke to me. Perhaps I shouldn’t speak about it, because if I speak about it, people think I am lobbying for a job. I am not criticising, this is a big organisation and there are a lot of things going on behind the scenes, but it doesn’t take much to be professional and sit down and say “listen here, we don’t think that we are going to renew your contract”. Then give you the reasons for it. Then you can move on.

“There was no exit strategy for me. There wasn’t one for John or Victor. This is what caused me some bitterness in the fact that there was nothing. We didn’t talk about anything. I was surprised to hear that Jurie Roux said on radio that they were busy with the process to appoint the Bok coach since June last year.

“So since June last year they never had the opportunity to talk to me, although we were together for four weeks in New Zealand and stayed in the same hotel. We travelled together and they never had the chance to talk to me. Is that how you treat someone? I don’t know, I can have my own opinion about it, but I can’t air it because I don’t want people to be negative. We need them to support the Springboks, that’s all.

“I would love to give back what I received. It was a wonderful experience, but again, if you started the process in June then everybody would have been settled and moving on. There is a lot of uneasiness and friction in my house at the moment. Nobody knows where we are going, or what is going to happen.”

“Sometimes we have to take risks, be terrified and do it anyway.” Julian Smith wrote this so I decided to contact him, below is what I wrote. Just like I’ve asked Julian I’m asking you all to send this to somebody you know if you think it might help them.

I’m not really sure where to start, if this appears as unlettered and rambling as I fear please accept my apologies.

I first heard about you whilst listening to Robb Wolfs podcast, from there I found your blog, read every single post, downloaded & read “Flinch” which resonated with me in ways I’m not nearly well enough equipped to articulate so I’m forced to drag out the cliché that it changed my life, but fuck it it did!

I know my story is neither as boring or as interesting as I think it is, I hope you’ll bare with me and read it (there’s an idea at the end, and I know you like those) but if you decide not to I’m fine with that too.

I was born in South Africa 30 years ago I’m the oldest of 4 boys, I had a difficult childhood, I was abused emotionally by someone who should have been looking after me. And it had a huge effect on me. A number of things can happen when you’ve been emotionally abused. Every negative thing I heard about myself, things that were said repeatedly to me became my truth, I started to believe that negative voice until it became ingrained, it affected me in nearly everything that I did and every decision I made. Usually people who are exposed to this abuse have extremely low confidence and low self esteem, In my case that was certainly true but those that knew me in high school may well describe me as arrogant, my defence mechanism was to project an image of myself that most protected me.

I was lucky in a sense because the abuse I suffered was inconsistent and definitely not as bad as many others are exposed to. So I ended up a confused, conflicted & pretty angry child and I know what saved me was that I was always good at sports, I was good at just about any sport I tried and gradually over time I started to challenge some of these negative thoughts that I had by performing well in sport. Ironically I used those negative thoughts as a driving force, as if every time I achieved success it was a reaffirmation to myself that those negative thoughts weren’t true. Every time I trained hard or played well I felt I was winning the battle against those thoughts.

And I did this most of my childhood and adulthood, this unlikely process turned me into a world class athlete, I captained the South African National U21 team to victory in the 2002 Rugby World Cup. Shortly after that I was offered a contract to play for the Brumbies rugby team in Australia. And since I knew my family planned to immigrate to Australia soon I decided to take up the offer. It was not long before I was playing for the Australian National Team, travelling the world and basically living what I thought were my dreams. The thing is I was never happy, I felt guilty that I could not appreciate the life many others could only dream of. By this point I had convinced myself that what I had gone through as a child was not that bad and I basically tried to forget about it. The fact is those issues never left me completely, they would express themselves in many ways. I would be angry or irritable or feel tension and stress and not really know why but for the most part I would say I functioned as well as I could and anyone who met me would think I was completely “normal”. And I maintained that fictitious existence for years.

But this all began to gradually change about 5-6 years ago when I picked up some serious rugby injuries which ultimately forced me to retire @ 27. That was a catalyst for a flood of all those negative thoughts I had pushed to the background, many I had not had for years slowly began coming back and over time I slipped further and further into depression until I was chronically and severely depressed. Though my body was broken I agreed to play some minor level club rugby, I injured myself in a match and needed surgery to insert a titanium plate in my face. I was on a lot of painkillers and I would go days when I would hardly get out of bed. I felt despairingly low all day, I had no motivation or optimism, I began having suicidal thoughts. And I want to say this about depression, I always looked at it as something that happened to “other people”, until I become depressed it never even crossed my mind that it could happen to me. What I’ve learnt over time is that any of us can become depressed given the wrong mix of experiences.

In that state, in the deepest of my depression my marriage began failing, I become short tempered and verbally abusive to my wife, there was never physical abuse but there is no doubt she suffered hugely emotionally. I completely neglected her and her needs. I did not know how to climb out of the hole I felt I was in, I did not even know where to start. Finally in Late 2010 I told my wife what I had gone through as a child, 10 years after our relationship began and 5 years into our marriage she was learning this for the first time.

And while it felt initially better to finally tell someone what happened, in some ways it made things worse because I began to see how much of my life had been affected by what happened to me as a child and it brought a lot of anger and resentment to the surface.

By mid May of last year my wife had had enough, she came to the conclusion that she could not help me. She had tried everything she knew to try and nothing seemed to change. She packed a bag and left to stay with her friend. Going through depression is difficult enough, but since I’ve recovered I’ve begun to realise just how tough it must have been for my wife to observe the person you care about most struggling for as long as I did while nothing my wife tried seemed to work. I think often we forget about the toll that depression takes on the people who are caught trying to help those suffering from it. If there is a hero in this story it’s how my wife has managed to remain as strong as she did for as long as she did.

Carrie leaving devastated me, that’s is both the most difficult and most valuable thing I’ve been through, because it was the first time I felt as though I was going to lose the most important thing in my life. It focussed my mind for the first time in a long time. I was at a crossroads, either I do whatever I must to completely rid myself of depression or it was likely going to cost me my marriage and probably ultimately kill me.

So as Carrie had been bugging me to do for ages I went to see a psychologist, I went to 5 sessions and they were incredibly valuable in helping me focus on the things I have control over and challenging the way I was thinking about things. After I started getting some help the main thing I developed was consistency. I started working out again, dialling in my diet, working and reading like I was starving for knowledge and I began seeing old friends again.

For the last 6 months I’ve been completely free of any sort of depression, I experience the general ups and downs of life and every now and again you get a curve ball thrown your way but at no point have I ever felt as though I’m becoming depressed or that I’m slipping back into old habits. I think of my mind in the same way I think about a broken bone that heals stronger than it was before. I feel indestructible, I rarely flinch and when I do I make sure forge ahead anyway.

Today I will finally share this story with my brothers and parents, that will be both painful and cathartic. On the 10th Feb I’ll be sharing this with a few hundred people at a speaking engagement I’m doing through work (I own a corporate health business: www.healthfutures.com.au) I feel as though by talking about it at least some good can come from a bad experience, that maybe some of the people I talk too are struggling or know someone that is and perhaps hearing my story might help them to take come action.

All of this brings me to my wife. Carrie is far and away the best thing that ever happened to me, she’s the most kind, gentle, generous, smart, funny, beautiful soul. She sees the world differently to most of us. No matter how dark a situation seems her strength of character and spirit see her through. Her strength ultimately wore her down, when I was ill she told nobody, she took every single burden of my depression squarely on her shoulders and she did everything she could. By the time she left she was literally done, I had been emotionally shut down for years and I had worn her down to the point where she had to choose between becoming depressed herself or staying in an abusive situation. She did the right thing in leaving.

Since then I’ve made incredible progress, I don’t recognise myself. I’ll send you a picture taken in Jan 2011 and another taken a little while ago in November. Transforming my mind has allowed me to transform my body. I’ve never in my life felt as capable of anything I decide to do as I feel today. I seek out things that scare me and I attack them. I feel things deeper than I ever have and my mind is always searching for that next morsel that might just change the way I view the world. Julian, I feel lucky to have found your blog, to have learned who Robb Wolf is and to have been exposed to Mark Sisson’s work. I feel enormously enlightened and humbled by the works of Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. The internet is fucking amazing, I guess I just feel lucky.

And I need your help. I need this story broadcast, I need everyone I know and everyone I don’t to read this. I need that for me but mostly I just need to tell my wife that I love her and that I’m sorry, and that anything she chooses to do for her happiness is the right decision. I need her to know that she should never settle for happier than she’s been in 10 years when what she deserves is happier than she ever imagined you could be.

So what I’m asking is that you post this on your blog, send it to anyone you can, comment on it or don’t. I just need it out there…

Thank you,

Clyde Rathbone

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The popular Castle Cape Town Tens rugby event, brainchild of Bob Skinstad and Rob Fleck, is just around the corner! It takes place on Friday and Saturday, 3 and 4 February, and will be hosted at the Hamilton Rugby Club for the fourth consecutive year. This year’s Tens promises to be a highlight of the year with an exciting music line-up, appearances from local and international rugby legends, competitions and giveaways, and a new addition, an exciting rugby expo.

2012 boasts an incredible line-up of live entertainment including the popular group Goodluck, The Graeme Watkins Project, The Lightyears and Me and Mr Brown. With three rugby fields, beer and food tents, kiddies play areas, as well as a host of rugby legends and SA personalities, there is plenty to experience both on and off the rugby field for the whole family. Enjoy a drink with mates in the beer tent while watching the rugby action and the kids will be entertained at the same time in the play area.

Promising to be bigger and better than before, this year the number of teams has been increased from 56 to 72, with four divisions – a heavy and light Beer League, The Vets League and the more competitive Premier League. Rugby legends this year include international stars Leon Lloyd, Malcolm O’Kelly, Justin Marshall and David Rees, and local stars Jake Boer, Breyton Paulse, John Allen and Pieter Muller.

An amazing prize on offer this year is a brand-new Golf GTI to the value of R365 000, sponsored by Stor-Age. Contestants will test their rugby skills kicking for the post to determine the lucky winner.

This year’s Castle Cape Town Tens is proudly brought to you by Castle, Canterbury, Powerade and the City of Cape Town.

Tickets are on sale at R70 per person via Computicket. Kids under 12 are free.

The 44-year-old Blue Bulls rugby executive takes over from Peter de Villiers, who coached the Springboks from 2008 to 2011. He will take charge as head coach of the 1995 and 2007 Rugby World Cup champions for the first time against England in Durban on June 9.

Meyer said he relished the opportunity to make all South Africans proud of the Springboks.

“Having been involved with the Blue Bulls for so long, I’ve experienced first hand how passionate South African rugby supporters are,” said Meyer. “I know the importance of rugby in the South African psyche and will do everything in my power to ensure the Springboks remain among the pace setters of world rugby.

“I’m very happy to accept this enormous honour and massive responsibility,” he said.

Meyer was head coach of the Vodacom Bulls when they became the first South African team to lift the coveted Vodacom Super 14 trophy in 2007. Before that, he steered the Vodacom Blue Bulls to Absa Currie Cup titles in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006 (shared).

Meyer also has experience of coaching in the Springbok environment. He served as assistant coach to both Nick Mallett and Harry Viljoen at the Boks. He has also been a Springbok coaching candidate in the past.

“The first time I felt I still had things to achieve at the Bulls, and the second time it was decided to appoint someone else,” he said. “I’d like to thank my family and the Blue Bulls Rugby Union for their unwavering support over the past decade. I hope to keep the country’s rugby supporters united behind the Boks.”

Mr Oregan Hoskins, President of SARU, said Meyer received unanimous support from the General and the Executive Councils of SARU.

“The Springboks are SARU’s top priority,” he said. “Heyneke’s coaching pedigree is second to none in South Africa. He will be an asset to the Boks and South African rugby in general,” said Mr Hoskins.

“I’d also like thank our outgoing coach Peter de Villiers for his passion, hard work and dedication over the past four years. However, it was felt that we needed a man with a new approach and new ideas to take over one of the toughest jobs in South African sport.

“Heyneke has our full support and we know he won’t leave any stone unturned as he strives to take the Boks back to the top of international rugby.”

According to Jurie Roux, SARU CEO, Meyer’s appointment was the culmination of a thorough process during which the best candidates were evaluated as part of a head hunting process before the Exco unanimously opted to make a formal offer to Meyer.

“The Blue Bulls wished to retain his services but his contract contains an exit clause which has been exercised; very few people can resist the call when your country says it needs you,” said Roux.

“The Springboks are the heartbeat of rugby in South Africa and it was paramount to get the best possible candidate to coach the team going forward. We believe we have done that.”

Roux said decisions on Meyer’s support staff will only be taken later, in consultation with the new Springbok coach. “No appointments in this regard have been made,” he said.

Fact file

Heyneke Meyer was the first South African coach to lift the Vodacom Super Rugby trophy and is one of the most successful coaches in local rugby in the professional era.

Meyer has been part of teams that have not only progressed to the knock-out stages of their various competitions, but also gone on to win them, ever since he started his provincial coaching career.

His first position as provincial head coach came at the age of 30 in 1998, at the SWD Eagles, and he immediately took the team to the semi-finals of the Vodacom Cup. A year later Meyer guided the Eagles to a top-four finish in the Absa Currie Cup.

Meyer reached his first final in 2001, leading the Vodacom Blue Bulls to the Vodacom Cup title, having already had a period as an assistant Springbok coach.

Three consecutive Absa Currie Cup crowns for the Vodacom Blue Bulls followed in 2002, 2003 and 2004. He also helped turn the Vodacom Bulls around from dwelling near the bottom of the Vodacom Super 12 log, to consecutive semi-finals in 2005 and 2006.

The first Vodacom Super Rugby title for a South African team followed in 2007, when Meyer masterminded the Vodacom Bulls’ victory over The Sharks in an epic final in what had become the Vodacom Super 14 in Durban.

This is not Meyer’s first stint with the Springboks, having been involved as assistant coach under Nick Mallett (1999 and 2001) as well as Harry Viljoen (2001).

Personal

Date of birth: 6 October 1967
Age: 44
Place of birth: Nelspruit
Education: Bergvlam HS (Nelspruit), University of Pretoria
Degrees: BA (Psychology, Geography and Human Movement Science), Hons BA (Geography), HED
Family: Married to Linda, three children

Coaching career

• 1988-1996: Coached a number of High School first teams, Under-21 sides and Carlton first teams in Pretoria.
• 1997: SWD Eagles assistant coach
• 1998: SWD Eagles head coach (Vodacom Cup semi-finalists and Absa Currie Cup)
• 1998: Emerging Springboks head coach
• 1999: DHL Stormers assistant coach (semi-finalists in Vodacom Super 12)
• 1999: SWD Eagles head coach (semi-finalists in Absa Currie Cup)
• 1999: Springbok assistant coach (third place, Rugby World Cup)
• 2000: Vodacom Bulls head coach (Vodacom Super 12)
• 2001: Vodacom Blue Bulls head coach (Vodacom Cup champions)
• 2001: Springbok assistant coach
• 2002: Vodacom Bulls head coach (Vodacom Super 12), Vodacom Blue Bulls head coach (Absa Currie Cup champions)
• 2003: Vodacom Blue Bulls head coach (Absa Currie Cup champions)
• 2004: Vodacom Blue Bulls head coach (Absa Currie Cup champions)
• 2005: Vodacom Bulls head coach (Vodacom Super 12 semi-finalists), Vodacom Blue Bulls head coach (Absa Currie Cup runners up)
• 2006: Vodacom Bulls head coach (Vodacom Super 14 semi-finalists), Vodacom Blue Bulls head coach (Absa Currie Cup joint champions)
• 2007: Vodacom Bulls head coach (Vodacom Super 14 champions)
• 2008-2009: Leicester Tigers head coach
• 2011: Tuks Varsity Cup – Advisor
• 2011: Blue Bulls Company – Executive: Rugby
• 2012: Springbok head coach

Those studying their online scratch cards note how England open their campaign when they travel to Murrayfield to face Scotland on Saturday with a radically changed team of both playing and coaching staff from the one that flopped so badly at the World Cup in New Zealand at the end of last year.

The 25-year-old flanker only has one cap to his name, but is now likely to get a good run in the team following the retirement of former captain, Lewis Moody.

Harlequins currently find themselves sitting at the top of the Aviva Premiership, thanks largely to the captaincy of Robshaw.

And the former England Saxons ace has admitted his delight to be offered the chance to follow in the footsteps of some former greats.

“It is a huge honour and a very proud day,” he said. “It’s not about myself because there are six or seven guys around me who all have a massive role to play – there’s lots of other leaders in the group.”

Robshaw says his side will be well prepared when it comes to kick-off against Scotland on Saturday, with new head coach Stuart Lancaster and his assistants Graham Rowntree and Andy Farrell having already spoken to him.

“Stuart, Graham and Andy have given us the game plan,” the new captain admitted. “It is up to us to get it across to the other players to drive the standards and the squad forward in the right way.”

Lancaster says that Robshaw will prove to be a shrewd appointment as captain, and believes he does in fact have the necessary experience to lead his team, although he will not be the only one to be doing so.

He said: “We have a strong leadership group and I have been very impressed with the way they have all stepped up so far.

“Chris is a key member of that group and has shown with Harlequins and when I have worked with him in the Saxons that he can lead a team tactically and passionately.”

Former England star, Jeremy Guscott has come forward to give his backing to Robshaw ahead of the game.

“Chris Robshaw is captain of a Quins side that is top of the Premiership,” he said. “[He] has a good work ethic and is playing with skill and ambition.

“Robshaw’s the captain but Lancaster has mentioned the likes of Tom Croft, Dylan Hartley, Ben Foden – these guys are going to be helping Robshaw in setting the tone for the squad.”

Following the Scotland game, England will have a week to recover before they travel to face Italy at the 75,000 capacity Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

JJ Harmse of Rapport has reported that Heyneke Meyer and SARU CEO Jurie Roux met on Saturday to finalise his contract to be the new Springbok coach.

Rapport’s information is that Meyer, the current Bulls director of rugby, has come to an agreement with his employers to be released from his contract. SARU will, however, have to pay substantial compensation to the Bulls to secure Meyer’s release.

The official announcement of the Springbok coach will be made on Friday 27 January.

Meyer was set to be appointed Bok coach four years ago before a group led by Cheeky Watson and Jannie Ferreira persuaded the presidents to vote for Peter de Villiers.

Read the full Rapport article HERE

“It is already too late for the coach to sit down with the Super Rugby coaches. The appointment should have been made in December because we didn’t have an overseas tour this time.”

De Villiers had a meeting with SARU CEO Jurie Roux on Monday where they “spoke about this and that”, adding that he did not know whether he was a candidate for the job or not.

“There is always a bigger picture and one should not be egotistical. It will always be an honour to make a contribution,” he said.

“Hours of planning and consultation went into the job…I can say with complete sincerity that every single decision I have made in the last four years has been a rugby one. That is why it has been easy for me to make them without any agendas. It is true that one doesn’t always make the right decisions, but I have taken responsibility for it. You can’t satisfy everybody, but I can keep my head high as I haven’t enriched myself. If I can give one medal to myself, it is the one for giving young talent the opportunity, who will now make the core of the team for the future.”

Those who like to bet in play note how most teams in the year following the World Cup go through a transitional phase and this appears to be the case with South Africa too as they build for the future.

Goosen is the latest player to be mentioned, with Fourie saying that a good Super Rugby season should be more than enough to convince the selectors to take a chance on the 19-year-old.

The back-line coach said: “Johan’s performance in Super Rugby will determine whether he will play for the Boks this year. He definitely has the talent to do it.”

“But he has competition from a number of good young flyhalves. Elton Jantjies (Lions) had a good Currie Cup last year and Patrick Lambie (Sharks) could also play in this position.”

“And don’t forget about Sias Ebersohn (Goosen’s expected understudy at the Cheetahs). He had a good Super Rugby tournament in 2011 and he and Johan will push each other for the Cheetahs’ flyhalf jersey.”

“Johan’s long pre-season will definitely help him. Niel (du Plessis, the Cheetahs’ fitness coach) does good work and our pre-season preparation has changed a lot.”

“The goal is now to make the players better athletes, rather than make them bigger and stronger. It fits Johan like a glove because he is by nature a good athlete. It will get the best out of him.”

Elsewhere, Brendan Venter has warned South Africa that they need to secure Rassie Erasmus’ long-term future or risk losing his coaching services to England.

Expressing his concern, Venter said: “It is essential that Rassie gets involved with a national team in some way or form. Rassie is very bright, he is committed and puts good systems in place. The alternative is he is going to coach England with Nick Mallett and I just think we can’t allow that.”

“He has already worked with the guys in this World Cup and they were very good in the World Cup, we didn’t win the World Cup because we were not good, we just had the weirdest, unluckiest day in history.”

“So there’s been a massive improvement in our Springbok team. I don’t even think it should be an issue. I think SA Rugby should just sit down and make sure Rassie Erasmus stays in the system.”

Whether the South African Rugby officials take this advice remains to be seen, but as with every single international Rugby Union team, it is an interesting time at the moment with plenty of decisions to be made about the future.

Watch this space for more South Africa news!

Erasmus’s lawyer, Frikkie Erasmus, confirmed the news to Die Burger newspaper on Monday.

“Rassie is looking at other options. There are other choices, especially overseas,” said Frikkie Erasmus.

Rassie Erasmus has already informed the Stormers’ management team of his decision to quit.

He was last year mentioned as a possible candidate to become the next Springbok coach after he assisted them as a technical adviser at the World Cup in New Zealand. However, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) will only comment on the new Bok coaching team on January 27.

Heyneke Meyer and Gert Smal are apparently the two strongest candidates for the Springbok head coaching position.

Die Burger further understands that clubs in England and France are after Erasmus’s services.

He started his tenure at the WPRU in late 2007. He then coached the Stormers to fifth position in the 2008 Super 14, just missing out on a semi-final spot. But he struggled to handle the constant media pressure and was appointed in his current role as director of coaching with Allister Coetzee taking over the coaching reigns.

“I have been involved in talks about my successor since 2008. There might be a young player who performs well and is awarded the captaincy, but my money is on Schalk.

“He has the most experience and is the one who commands the most respect among the Boks. It will be the smoothest transition.

“He is a hard worker, tough as nails and he understands people.

“It depends on the sort of leader [the new Springbok coach] wants. He may want to do something different with the Boks.

“I’m sure the decision has been made already. SARU were smart in not making the announcement yet as they have been criticised for impulsive decisions in the past.”

This will undoubtedly create much excitement among Springboks fans and even those looking at top casinos online, in the knowledge that they, Australia and New Zealand will be welcoming a new participant: Argentina.

The Argentina national rugby team has seen its progress somewhat stunted in recent years due to the lack of quality opposition in their part of the world. Many of the top European teams can challenge one another in the Six Nations each year, and the aforementioned Boks, Wallabies and Kiwis have traditionally had their annual Tri Nations.

Adding a fourth team will not only add that extra degree of competition, but will pose many questions surrounding the future of international rugby. Indeed they will be exciting and challenging ones at that.

Of course many will look at the addition of Argentina to the former Tri Nations as being something only beneficial to the new boys. Possibly, but there is no harm in an extra bit of healthy competition, and if this helps to promote rugby union in some of the other Latino countries, there surely can be no complaints.

So how is it all going to work? Well, the competition is all set to run on a home and away basis, much like its predecessor. In previous years, however, teams have played one another three times, apart from the World Cup years of 2007 and 2011.

That will all change now. Teams will only play each other twice, as the tournament will once again revert to a double ‘round-robin’ format.

In recent World Cups, the Argentines have made quite an impact. Although not quite up to the standards of their fellow southern hemisphere teams, they certainly have bold ambitions to one day match them.

In 2007, Argentina finished in a remarkable third place at the World Cup in France. They managed to make it all the way to the semi-final, before finally being eliminated by none other than South Africa. It was their best ever performance at a World Cup.

Despite not having the remarkable outcome of 2007, the 2011 tournament in New Zealand was another memorable occasion for Argentina. Having progressed from a group which contained England and Scotland, Los Pumas were eventually knocked out at the quarter final stage.

That was against New Zealand, but it was a much closer affair than many anticipated. It was Argentina who initially took the lead through Juan Farias Cabello, before the eventual tournament winners went on to win the game 33-10.

Nevertheless, it was a gritty performance and one that suggested that Argentina would have the capability to compete among the likes of Australia, New Zealand and of course South Africa.

They will go into 2012’s Rugby Championship full of hope. It is almost certainly not a competition they can expect to win just yet, and anything other than the wooden spoon surely would be a grand achievement for them. But watch out everyone, this is a team on the up, and they will not be afraid to take a few scalps.

Those facts become all the more stark amongst casino directory pundits when looking back at some of the country’s other sports stars. South African golf, for example, may just have hit new heights. The cricket team continued to dominate, and now find themselves second only to England in the world rankings.

But it is not all doom and gloom for South African Rugby. The sevens team enjoyed a year of great success, which included no fewer than three tournament wins. First there was the win in Las Vegas before back-to-back wins in London and Edinburgh meant there was much to celebrate.

Overall, they finished second to New Zealand in the rankings, which will no doubt have been a disappointment, but they will certainly have taken heart from the fact that, aside from the Kiwis, they were the only side to win more than one tournament in the year.

Cecil Afrika was named the sevens player of the year, and deservedly so. He has since gone on to be named captain of the side.

There were other bright notes in 2011 for South African Rugby. In November Schalk Burger was named the Springboks player of the year for the second time, with the Golden Lions picking up the gong for Team of the Year. Bismarck du Plessis was presented with the Players’ Player of the Year.

It might even be worth pointing out that the World Cup was not a complete damp squib either. Despite crashing out at just the quarter-final stage, fans will be able to look back at that game with Australia as one the Springboks utterly dominated.

In the end, the only statistic that Australia came out on top in was the final score. Sometimes you just have to accept hard luck.

The wise thing to do is probably ignore what happened in the Tri Nations. However, the Currie Cup will have left many great memories. Despite playing for much of the season without their international stars, all the teams involved put on an entertaining spectacle.

In the end it was the Team of the Year, the Golden Lions, who despite starting the final with the odds stacked heavily against them went on to defeat their star-studded opponents, the Sharks.

Now the only questions that remain surround what 2012 holds for rugby in South Africa.

There will be all to play for. The Tri Nations has now been replaced with a new competition called the Rugby Championship. It now sees four teams competing – the former Tri Nations trio of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand will be joined by Argentina.

Bring on the New Year!