I hope you have all been watching the soccer!?

It has been one of my best memories that I have of the 2010 World Cup, when I  had the privilege to attend the opening game at Soccer City on the 11 June. It felt like I was on top of the world looking down on our country and it made me so proud to be a South African by birth, nothing can change that and no matter what sport you play in this country the people are so passionate about sport, it is always a pleasure to play in front of them, be it here in South Africa on home ground or overseas.

I know how important it is as a sportsman to have your whole country behind you with all their support to win the game and to carry you over that all important winning line or to score the goal that can make the big difference to your team and the country.

Let’s not even speak about the game between France and South Africa where we beat the French 2-1, who in 2002 were the World Cup winners. It is a pity they cannot proceed to the next round but the country still believe in them which is great because as sportsmen this is important.

Since my operation on my neck I have been training really hard and for the past 3 weeks I started benching on 50kg but in the last week I moved up to about 115kg which is a big improvement, so at least there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel I have been in.

My first running session two weeks ago was a rude awakening for me, as our Bioceneticist did 24 *100m in under 18sec per 100m and for me not running for 5 weeks it was a new feeling to wake up stiff and sore but a feeling I do miss a lot because it is how you feel every Sunday morning when going to church after a really good game on the Saturday before.

I was on the farm last weekend and like all people I hate winter where everything is dead and brown. Looking at the bigger picture, the sooner it gets cold the sooner we will have summer again and it will be time to prepare for planting and calving season.   I did manage to buy some new bulls for the farm.

On Wednesday last week it was about minus 10^C in Bethlehem and yes you guessed it   all the pipes in the house were frozen and around 11am the next morning we had water running from the ceilings, so like all other farmers in South Africa I had to do some repair work around the farm, it’s not always just about the animals and crops but the general repair work around the house as well.

If all goes according to plan and no other small hiccups come up I will be fit to play by the 1^st of August 2010 which is what I am aiming for and training hard for.