Another year of sport is nearing

Internationally we have seen some remarkable achievements both by  , individuals and also by teams. Ranging from Barcelona clinching the UEFA Champions league in Berlin Germany, Jose Mourinho returning to Chelsea and winning the Premier League title, Usain Bolt triple Gold in World Champs to Wayde van Niekerk becoming the king of the world in the 400m and most recently, the All Blacks winning back to back Rugby World Cups and should I remind you about that Japan match?

The biggest event this year though which will forever be spoken about internationally was Mayweather vs Pacquaio the fight of the century. Did it live up to expectations? NO? A massive paycheck for both fighters but a non spectacle at all.

 

In the local front we have seen some outstanding achievements some also very controversial. Kaizer Chiefs winning the PSL under Stuart Baxter, local boy Greg Minaar breaking all sorts of records in MTB Downhill racing, Fantastic AB De Villiers vs the West Indies at the Wanderers to Orlando Pirates making it to the CAF Confed Cup final oh should I remind you about that Springboks game in Durban?

But with all the above said one has to only pick a handful of the best Sporting moments in 2015 so let's go.(In no particular order)

 

1.New Zealand vs South Africa Eden Park Cricket World Cup Semi final.

This World Cup was arguably one of the best that we have ever seen. The Proteas labeled chockers and well the label lives on. A rain affected match, at a rugby stadium the shortest boundaries in the tournament and playing the hosts all odds were just stacked up against us. One of our own son hurt us a certain Grant Elliot hitting the winning runs  to break our hearts off the penultimate ball of the match 

 

Big moments in matches decide the outcome and besides the rain AB de Villiers fumbling the ball as he was about to remove Anderson at the non strikers end and Of course that miss communication between Berhadien and Duminy in the field which resulted in a dropped catch.

 

Maybe better luck in 2019.

2. Banyana Banyana Qualifier for Rio 2016

 

They represented us in the London games in 2012 and many said the future of woman football is South Africa was dim. Having lost out in qualifying for the Woman's FIFA World Cup in Canada this year, Vera Pauwa's team went on to achieve their Olympic Dream by beating Equatorial Guinea away to book their spot in Rio. It also worth mentioning that Guinea had knocked out Giants Nigeria on the qualification so what Banyana did was a massive achievement .

Will we get a medal in Rio probably not but competing at that level with the worlds best is a achievement by itself.

 

3. Wayde van Niekerk GOLDEN BOY.

 

The IAAF World Champs 2015 were built up to be about 1 event 2 men two countries namely Usain Bolt vs Justin Gatlin. And yes the 100m final was arguably one of the greatest ever with my man Bolt doing what he does best. But for South Africans the games in Berlin will always be remember the "Wayde van Niekerk games".

Van Niekerk produced the fastest time in the world for eight years to stun LaShawn Merritt and Kirani James to win an incredible world 400m gold.

That win took every out of Wayde and he had to be stretched off the track after being overcome with exhaustion.

 

Wayde Van Niekerk had the Olympics to look forward to next year and the big question is can he be a World and Olympic champion, only time will tell .

4. Steve Komphela named Kaizer Chiefs Coach.

 

After Chiefs won the PSL under the leadership of Stuart Baxter many were surprised about his resignation at the helm of the club many were left confused. Steve Komphela was named as Baxter replacement after signing a 3 year deal.

 

This is the first time in the club's history have Chiefs appointed a former player as a permanent head coach.

This is also the first time since 1996 the team have appointed a South African coach on a full time basis.

Chiefs chairman and founder Kaizer Motaung had previously said no South African coach is fit enough to coach his club but I guess Komphela must have done something right to twist his arm.

 

The question is will Komphela succeed at Naturena?

5. Japan against all odds trump over Boks

 

Arguably the biggest sporting upset in World Sport.

 

On paper, on the tables on planet earth Japan should not even be competing with South Africa when it comes to rugby but oh didn't they just compete. Even the bookmakers had odds slashed at 300/1 for a Japan win and if you put down a bet for the Brave Blossoms to win then you either have the best psychic around or God really loves you . The manner the win happen was arguably the best moment in sports history, I mean times up and against all odds Japan score in the score to clinch the victory in the last movements of the game.

A final score line of 33-35 a result that will change Japan rugby forever and will forever haunt Heyneke Meyer.

 

After the game I said this," It might have been David vs Goliath on the field but in the coaching box Eddie Jones was David and Meyer was Goliath. A complete master class .