Dumelang to all eMzansi, as one sits below die Groot Drakenstein mountain and ponders over this crazy weekend that we are within.
It’s a Super weekend all round kids - from Super Rugby, to Super Sunday footy, then onto the Superbowl LIV.
We hope amahhashi (horses) will be as satisfying as Boschendal’s Angus beef onto Angus vino. Team SOS, siyabonga for the horse-pitality!
Namhlanje we are suited and booted, waiting to see South Africa’s best in the equestrian game. The finest trotters and trainers will be kitted out in their silks, pushing for victory at Kenilworth race track, in the Sun Met.
The top favourites for today’s big race meeting will be numbered one to four, so if you fancy favourites on big days, then perhaps a trifecta or quartet of 1,2,3,4 will do you good. Hawaan tops the charts at 22/10, followed by Vardy (not Jamie) at 5/2, Rainbow Bridge at 9/2 and Do It Again at 7/1.
There are several permutations to consider here. Will top jock Anton Marcus and top horse Hawaan sit in and prove the bookies right, or will a Justin Snaith horse do the business - with Do It Again or Bunker Hunt -with local jockeys Richard Fourier and Bernard Fayd’Herbe on board, at the alarming price of 25/1? I like it for an outside win/place.
Another option is Sangoma’s Vardy double of Vardy to place and Leicester’s fox in the box to score against Chelsea.
Then it’s the Super Rugby competition, which is back, and we are loving it! Today’s games started early bells with the Sunwolves playing the Rebels. The Japanese side should have a much better showing of themselves this year, after intermittently resting their starting players last year, in anticipation of the Rugby World Cup - which paid off as they made history by making the quarter-finals for the first time.
The lekker thing is it happened at home in front of their own fans.
The other games are Crusaders v Waratahs, Stormers v Hurricanes and Lions v Jaguares. Crusaders, Canes and Lions are my picks for today.
Let’s not forget the Super Bowl - the biggest sporting weekend in the USA with the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the San Franciso 49ers.
Kansas took down the Tennessee Titans two weeks ago, and are my pick to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Last year’s MVP and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will become only the third quarterback to lift the trophy before the age of 25. Kansas are 7/10, and well worth a punt. Make sure you’re up nice and early for what should be a memorable Super Bowl LIV. Also watch for South Africa’s biggest artist at the moment Sho Madjozi, who will be performing alongside Black Eyed Peas at the showpiece.
Question is, can she outdo the Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake classic nip slip? That might be worth a demerit point or three, like our beloved KG!
In football, the main attractions are Leicester hosting Chelsea, Crystal Palace playing Sheffield United, Man United facing Wolves and Liverpool against Southampton.
Can we please just give the Scousers their league silverware already, as it’s getting ridiculous.
Liverpool are 19 points ahead of their closest competition in Man City, and a whole 40 points ahead of my team Arsenal - so embarrassing!
Tomorrow, there are two London sides in action - my Gunners travel to Burnley and Spurs host Man City.
Burnley are one of Arsenal's bogey sides, and Spurs may catch the wrath of a very good Pep army.
Locally, Sundowns and Wits will both be competing in continental competitions, playing Wydad and Djoliba respectively, with both games in Mzansi.
Down Under in the tennis finals, look out for Djokovic and Sofia Kenin to post Australian Open wins.