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CHAMPIONS! Duty calls. All of it. All weekend long.
You’ll be reading this on Thursday, Heritage Day, with the Proteas already out there in Durban, kicking off their ODI series against Australia at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead. The game starts at 10:00.
From there, my Champions, the calendar does not let up. This is a proper national assembly of a sporting weekend, and every South African has a job to do.
On Saturday, Bafana Bafana take on Guinea at Orlando Stadium at 15:00.
It’s a new era under a new coach. Pitso Mosimane takes charge of the first match of his third stint at the helm, and there’s no friendly to ease him in. This is South Africa’s opening 2027 AFCON qualifier.
SAFA is calling on Soweto to pack the stadium and mark the beginning of this new chapter. Champions, when SAFA asks nicely, we should really answer.
On Sunday, the Springboks face the Wallabies at Optus Stadium in Perth. Kickoff is at 11:45 SA time.
This one comes with a genuine piece of history attached: Andre Esterhuizen will become the 68th player to captain the Springboks, earning his first taste of the armband in green and gold.
Rassie Erasmus has made 13 changes to the starting lineup that beat the All Blacks 43 to 28 in Baltimore. Only Ethan Hooker and Eben Etzebeth retain their starting places from that game.
Handré Pollard returns at flyhalf after injury, Marco van Staden shifts to number eight, and Franco Mostert partners Etzebeth in the second row. Jasper Wiese will earn his 50th cap from the bench.
It’s a completely different team on paper, and still a ridiculously strong one.
Sadly, at that exact time, I’ll be flying back from Cape Town, where I’ll have performed alongside Trevor Noah at Bafunny Bafunny again, so I’ll miss the game entirely.
How long until we get WiFi on domestic flights?
Also on Sunday, the Proteas take on Australia in the Pink ODI at DP World Wanderers Stadium. Play starts at 10:00.
Once a year, the Proteas swap green and gold for pink, and the match takes on a purpose bigger than the scoreboard: raising funds and awareness in the fight against breast cancer, with proceeds going directly to the Breast Care Unit at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.
So there it is, Champions: four days, three sporting codes and one country. Durban, Soweto, Perth and the Wanderers are all calling South Africans to national duty.
I’ll be doing my own bit of national service, too.
On Heritage Day, while the Proteas kick off the weekend in Durban, I’ll be at Loftus Versfeld with Big Save, taking a second crack at the world record for the most people braaiing at once.
Where else would you try to break a braaiing world record?
The standing record is 2,220, set in Japan. At our 2025 attempt, we counted 2,412 South Africans, more than enough to beat it, but the record wasn’t certified because we didn’t remain at our braai stations for the required period.
This year, we plan to stay exactly where we are until the record is confirmed. We cannot allow Japan to hold it for another year!
Champions, it’s a big weekend ahead, and I can’t wait!
I love you. 3 ones.
What you need to know
Proteas versus Australia: Thursday, 24 September at 10:00 at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead
Bafana Bafana versus Guinea: Saturday, 26 September at 15:00 at Orlando Stadium
Springboks versus Australia: Sunday, 27 September at 11:45 SA time at Optus Stadium in Perth
Pink ODI: Sunday, 27 September at 10:00 at DP World Wanderers Stadium
World record braai attempt: Thursday, 24 September at Loftus Versfeld
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