I was only 10 years old when we hosted (and WON!!) the 1995 Rugby World Cup. I cannot claim to remember too much about it.
But I remember for instance my dad came home with the joke “Kiwi meat 27-18” the day after Pieter Hendriks ran past David Campese with his fist in the air at Newlands.
I remember watching the boks swimming in that game against the French, chewing off my little nails.
And I remember the final. The goosebumbs after hearing the anthem, seeing President Mandela in the green and gold, and watching that booing fly over Ellis Park. I remember François Pienaar claiming "We didn't have 60,000 South Africans supporting us today - we had 43 million South Africans"...
And i remember the celebrations... Man, do i remember the celebrations...

We had to drop my sister at a bus stop somewhere in suburbia that evening, and i saw masses of people, of all colours and creeds, dancing and singing (mostly Leon Shuster songs and shosaloza) on the streets.

That was the day I fell in love with sport. That was the day that made it clear to me that sport can unite people in ways that very few other things can bring us together.

Thru mutual support for a team people can forget about their differences
Thru pride and joyous celebrations people can forget about their prejudice and barriers.

For years i was the most enthusiastic WP, Stormers and springbok fan EVER. I would make sure my dad took me to Newlands; that my guy friends have a plan for match day and that everyone gets together for the game. I had all the supporter shirts and I wanted nothing more than to be a sports journalist, or the media manager for the Springboks. I wanted to follow that green n gold jersey all over the world and share in its magic.

But times change and so do people and dreams. Now 15 years later my nation stands on the brink of hosting the biggest sporting tournament in the world. We are ready to show the world that we can do anything we put our African minds to... and I once again get that feeling of pride and unity.

As the flags pop up more frequently (I cant think of one place I’ve been in the last month where i did not see an SA flag) and the vuvuzelas start to wake me up on the morning I realise that there is nothing I would like to do more than report on the magic that is going to be happening in SA in the next two months.

This is what it’s all about. Ten years of planning and building, marketing and organising kicks into action on Friday, and I can’t WAIT.