Writing in the Cape Argus, Gavin Rich makes some bold predictions for the year ahead.
"And so time to engage those nostril hairs and look ahead at 2009. It's going to be a good year in the Super 14, with one of the Sharks, Stormers or Bulls winning the competition, and two of those three making the semi-finals. I think it will be the Stormers and Sharks.
"The Boks will easily beat the British Lions, but the wake-up call will come when they face the teams that really matter, New Zealand and Australia, in the Tri-Nations, where they will unfortunately struggle again and a lot of the people who were getting positive are suddenly going to realise we are back at square one."